The CFP Committee has revealed the 12 participants for this year’s College Football Playoffs, but there is one glaring snub: Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish were 10-2 overall, with many questioning why they did not make it, but the three-loss Alabama Crimson Tide did. This led to some fan backlash and accusations of the committee favoring the SEC, which has five teams in the 12-team tournament.
Next year, however, should Notre Dame be ranked within the Top 12 again next year, there is a possibility that they get an automatic playoff spot, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger, who spoke with Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua.
Notre Dame will be assured of making the playoff if it is ranked in the top 12 starting next year, Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua told Yahoo Sports’ @RossDellenger.
If the playoff is expanded to 14 teams and there are more at-large berths added to the field (from seven to nine),… pic.twitter.com/R82KBK3TBK
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 7, 2025
As Dellenger reported, this could only happen if the CFP is expanded from 12 teams to 14 and if there are more at-large berths added to the field. Should this happen, Notre Dame would be guaranteed to get a spot if it ranks No. 13 or better. This was based on the memorandum signed by CFP officials last spring, according to Bevacqua.
The Fighting Irish held a Top 10 spot as conference championship week went on, only for it to be bumped off the list by several teams, including the three-loss Alabama Crimson Tide and a team that was previously ranked below it in the week prior, the Miami Hurricanes.
Marcus Freeman Breaks Silence After Notre Dame CFP Snub
Soon after the final 12 teams were announced by the CFP committee, Marcus Freeman voiced his opinion, believing that the Fighting Irish still deserved a spot in the College Football Playoffs this year.
“I believe we are as complete at team in the country and we are playing as well as anyone. Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame are the only teams that have won 10 games in a row by 10 points or more,” he said. “We’re 10-2 with losses to currently No. 7 and No. 12 team in college football rankings by a combined four points.”
Freeman also noted that Miami’s two losses were against unranked teams in the middle of the season. Meanwhile, Bevacqua doubled down, saying that the “playoff was stolen” from the team.
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