Two games into the season, Notre Dame football finds itself sitting on the verge of being unranked in the top 25 rankings.
With back-to-back ranked losses to No. 6 Miami and No. 10 Texas A&M, it is the second time in three years that the Fighting Irish sit at 0-2 under Marcus Freeman.
That of course has spurred discussion on whether Notre Dame can make the College Football Playoff, with the Fighting Irish having no room for error heading into Week 4 of the season — even with the CFP expanded to include 12 teams.
The bad news for the Fighting Irish is that they don’t currently have another ranked opponent on their remaining schedule. But that doesn’t mean Notre Dame is hopeless when it comes to making the CFP.
Here’s what you need to know about Notre Dame’s chances to return to the College Football Playoff:
Can Notre Dame football make College Football Playoff?
The expanded 12-team CFP field allows for a greater margin of error for teams, meaning that a two-loss Notre Dame could still challenge for the postseason.
In fact, seven teams that made the 12-team CFP field last season suffered two losses before the CFP: No. 2 Georgia, No. 4 Arizona State, No. 5 Texas, No. 6 Penn State, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 9 Tennessee and No. 11 SMU. This does not include 10-3 Clemson, since the Tigers earned one of the four automatic bids to the CFP field by winning the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Irish can find hope in last season’s CFP champion, Ohio State. The Buckeyes entered the CFP as the No. 8 overall seed with a 10-2 record after regular-season losses to Oregon and unranked Michigan. Those defeats also preempted the Buckeyes from playing in their conference championship game.
If Notre Dame handles its business for the remainder of the season, the Fighting Irish could be in contention for a CFP berth. However, with no ranked teams remaining on the schedule as of now, the Irish — who have the 60th-hardest remaining strength of schedule, per ESPN — will need to hope some teams emerge to boost their CFP rankings.
(Ohio State, for example, boasted top-five wins over Penn State and Indiana).
As it stands now, USC is the best option to jump into the top 25 by the time it plays Notre Dame. The Trojans received the 28th-most votes in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and could be ranked by the time the teams are scheduled to play on Oct. 18.
Another thing that should play in Notre Dame’s favor is the CFP selection committee’s increased emphasis on strength of schedule this season when deciding the field. The Fighting Irish have the top-ranked strength of schedule according to ESPN, and means that even their defeats at the hands of Miami and Texas A&M are seen as “good losses.”
The Fighting Irish should root for the continued success of the Hurricanes and Aggies if they hope to make the CFP.
Can Notre Dame football earn first-round CFP bye?
Yes. The CFP has moved to straight seeding beginning in 2025-26, meaning Notre Dame can earn a first-round bye. Last season saw byes reserved for the top four highest-ranked conference champions, meaning independents such as Notre Dame could not earn a first-round bye.
Whether the Fighting Irish can earn a bye with a 10-2 record remains to be seen.
Notre Dame football schedule 2025
Here’s a look at Notre Dame’s schedule in 2025, including past scores and available start time and TV channel information:
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Can Notre Dame still make College Football Playoff? Fighting Irish’s path to CFP
Reporting by John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORK / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
