The Notre Dame Fighting Irish may not play for a conference championship, but they do some rooting interest this week. Let’s break down the various scenarios and opponents the Irish could face in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
College Football Playoff Predictions: Projecting Notre Dame’s Opponents
Below, we’ve listed all the potential outcomes for Notre Dame. Given the latest rankings, these are the teams the Fight Irish would play based on the results in the conference championships.
Fighting Irish To Play Alabama in Latest College Football Playoff Rankings
With the Irish checking in at No. 4 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings but the Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 3) above them, they’re slated to be the sixth seed in the bracket. That’s due to the top four seeds going to the highest-ranked conference champions.
Thus, Notre Dame is projected to face off against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Round 1, as they are No. 11 in the rankings.
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The two have locked heads just eight times before and just twice since 1987. The Crimson Tide won both of the recent matchups (2013 and 2021) with Nick Saban at the helm.
However, there are a few other scenarios that could favor or hurt the Irish before Selection Sunday.
What If Texas Wins the SEC and Oregon Wins the Big Ten?
In the likely scenario the No. 1 Oregon Ducks and No. 2 Texas Longhorns win their respective conference championships, the Irish will also certainly enter the playoffs as the No. 5 seed.
That would be the dream case for Notre Dame fans, as the school would have the “easiest” path to the semifinal. Why? Because Marcus Freeman and Co. would either draw the winner of the Big 12 title (Iowa State vs. Arizona) or the Clemson Tigers (if they defeat SMU in the ACC battle) for the right to play the Boise State Broncos in the quarterfinal.
What If Georgia Wins the SEC and Penn State Wins the Big Ten?
Oregon and Texas falling in the conference championship would drop them out of the top four seeds and snuggly into the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively. That would push Notre Dame to No. 7, with a meeting against the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers on deck.
That wouldn’t be the worst result for the Irish, as Indiana was just embarrassed by the No. 8-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes 38-15. They would then presumably draw the Penn State Nittany Lions, who would hold the No. 1 seed after knocking off the Ducks.
What If Texas Wins the SEC and Oregon Loses the Big Ten?
This is yet another easy-to-place scenario. Texas handling business and Penn State upsetting Oregon would lock Notre Dame into the No. 6 seed, with the Ducks dropping from No. 1 to No. 5.
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Again, that would see the Irish host Alabama in Round 1. For the sake of throwing a future wrinkle in, though, let’s say SMU loses to Clemson in the ACC championship.
The Tigers would earn the No. 12 seed, Boise State would move from No. 4 to No. 3, and the Big 12 winner would receive the No. 4 seed. As a result, Notre Dame would face the Broncos after dispatching the Crimson Tide.
What If Texas Loses the SEC and Oregon Wins the Big Ten?
The Longhorns should fall behind Notre Dame in the event they lose to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game, but that’s ultimately up to the committee. Texas would be 11-2 on the year, with both losses to the same team, while the Irish would be 11-1, with the only defeat coming in the first game of the season.
As the college football playoff picture evolves, Notre Dame fans will watch closely, knowing their path to the natty could hinge on the chaos of championship weekend.
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