Notre Dame fans need to root for surprising teams outside of the Irish vs. Pitt to keep solidifying their CFB Playoff standing
Notre Dame fans have several other programs they need to root for this weekend.
Notre Dame football has a clear vision to make the College Football Playoffs right now. If they win their final three games, head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish are going to make the field, and that is pretty much unarguable at this point. So the biggest key to this week is for Notre Dame to beat the Pitt Panthers, obviously.
Other teams, however, can make things a lot easier for Notre Dame this weekend. Irish fans shouldn’t just be rooting for CJ Carr, Jeremiyah Love, and the crew on Saturday afternoon. There are a few games to keep close attention to. Here’s the Notre Dame rooting guide for week 12 of college football.
Notre Dame football rooting guide
(3) Texas A&M over South Carolina
Quite simply, Texas A&M being good is so beneficial for Notre Dame. For anyone who watched that game, the Irish should have probably won it. The Irish are clearly a good team, so while nobody wants to hear about “quality losses”, they do very much exist. If you’re a Notre Dame fan, you want the Aggies to get to the SEC championship game.
(15) Miami over NC State
Like Texas A&M, you want Miami to keep winning to strengthen that quality of loss. Mario Cristobal’s team isn’t going to catch Notre Dame in the ranking, so if they win, it isn’t a threat to you. It will just continue to strengthen the resume for the Irish.
Minnesota over (8) Oregon
It is highly unlikely, but if Oregon were somehow upset against the Golden Gophers, it would be great for Notre Dame. With Ohio State and Indiana being up top, those are the Big Ten teams most likely to make the playoffs. Separating those teams from the Big Ten and letting the latter fall down the rankings is the ideal scenario for Notre Dame fans to keep a close eye on.
(4) Alabama over (11) Oklahoma
There being logjams in the SEC and Big Ten is the worst-case scenario for Notre Dame. If Oklahoma somehow beats Alabama, then things get very murky. They would have the ammunition to try and jump the Irish. If Oklahoma loses, and somewhat convincingly, they have very little chance of recovery with three losses.
Florida over (7) Ole Miss
Ole Miss is two spots in front of Notre Dame, and Florida currently sits with a losing record. With the Gators having no threat toward a college football playoff berth, it doesn’t matter at all if they win a couple of football games down the stretch. The Rebels losing would give the Irish a good chance to potentially jump them.
(5) Georgia over (10) Texas
See the Alabama vs Oklahoma blurb, copy and paste. You want there to be a hierarchy in the SEC. The more teams they have fighting for spots, the more crowded things get. If Texas loses, they land with three losses and essentially eliminated themselves. That’s the best-case scenario for a team right behind Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
Notre Dame football was actually punished by the CFB Playoff committee despite the controversy over their current ranking
Notre Dame football would have quite a difficult path back to the CFB national championship game.
