Notre Dame football has the ideal path for a National Championship run right in front of them
On Tuesday night, the latest College Football Playoff rankings were released. There weren’t a ton of massive surprises but we did get answers to how some teams would be valued in the end. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish came in as the No. 5 team in the ranking following the Indiana Hoosier loss to Ohio […]
On Tuesday night, the latest College Football Playoff rankings were released. There weren’t a ton of massive surprises but we did get answers to how some teams would be valued in the end. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish came in as the No. 5 team in the ranking following the Indiana Hoosier loss to Ohio State last weekend.
In that scenario, Notre Dame would be the No. 7 seed in the playoff as the second highest-ranked non-conference champion. With the Irish not being in a conference, the No. 5 seed is the best and most advantageous path towards trying to win a National Championship, at least in theory.
After looking at the most recent bracket released, however, the Fighting Irish would have a very desirable path towards the finals. In all honesty, it has an argument as the more desirable path of any in the bracket.
In this hypothetical, Notre Dame would be matched up against the SMU Mustangs, and that game would be played in South Bend. It’s hard to imagine a much better scenario for the first game of the playoffs. You would then play against the Texas Longhorns if you win, followed by a game with either Miami, Penn State, or Indiana.
In the world of the 12-team playoff, there is no perfect path. You will need to beat several good football teams every year to win a championship. However, this is a really positive path if it ended similarly. While Texas would be a very difficult game, Notre Dame would probably be a betting favorite against the other four teams mentioned.
The Irish would also have a real chance against Texas. They are not an unbeatable team by any stretch, just like the majority of college football this season.
You would also get technically the weaker side of the bracket in this hypothetical as well. Having Ohio State, Oregon, and Georgia on the other side would be lucky. You would only have to deal with one of them if you reached the finals. As far as easier paths, there isn’t much better than the current setup.
Things will change, so Notre Dame fans shouldn’t fall in love with this scenario. The further we get into the college football season, however, the more apparent it becomes that there is no perfect team. It’s going to be about playing the best football at the right time.
