Coaching chaos could give Notre Dame football an unforeseen bump heading toward the CFB Playoff bracket being finalized 

Notre Dame may have just gotten an unforeseen CFB Playoff bump.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman looks on in the second half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend.

We are just a week away from the College Football Playoff rankings being finalized. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were the No. 9 ranked team in the most recent rankings, which means they would be in the playoff field if the season ended today. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish are in a good place, but they do need a couple things to break their way during the Conference Championship weekend. 

As weird as it sounds, Notre Dame may have just had an early break with LSU hiring former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. The Rebels are one of the teams ranked ahead of the Irish right now, but they aren’t ranked close enough to have much relevance to the Notre Dame playoff formula. With the loss of Kiffin, as well as several other defections from the staff and some potential players, this creates a unique conversation. 

When the College Football Playoff committee sets the field, there are certain criteria that they work with when making decisions. Those are 1.) strength of schedule, 2.) head-to-head competition, 3.) comparative outcomes of common opponents, and 4.) other relevant factors such as unavailability of key players and coaches that affect the team’s performance.

In this scenario, obviously the latter is the issue here. With the defections on the staff, it is enough to raise questions whether Ole Miss should be allowed in the playoffs entirely. It’s the unfortunate reality of this college football timeline, but they will not be the same team that went 11-1 this season. The committee has to take that into account. 

How this affects Notre Dame 

As things stand right now, the Fighting Irish will have their eyes mostly on two conference championship games. The first one is the SEC title game between Alabama and Georgia. With the Crimson Tide right behind the Irish, they are going to root for the Bulldogs. If Alabama is able to lose the game, you have to love Notre Dame’s chances to make the field in the end. 

The other game to keep close attention to is the Big 12 Championship between Texas Tech and BYU. With the Cougars behind Notre Dame at No. 11, they are another interesting team that could potentially jump the Irish if they can upset the Red Raiders. This upset is much less likely, but the Irish must hope that Texas Tech and head coach Joey McGuire take care of business. 

Some will also mention Miami as a potential hurdle for Notre Dame, but I just don’t see a world where they get in over the Irish. The committee has already made their opinions on both teams very clear, even with the Hurricanes having the head to head victory. Otherwise, both teams have similar outcomes against common opponents, and Notre Dame has the better strength of schedule. 

If Ole Miss is knocked out of the playoffs due to the Kiffin movement, it would make things a lot easier for Notre Dame. It would make it largely impossible for them not to make the field in that instant. While unfortunate for the Rebels, it would be significant for Freeman’s group and their playoff hopes. 

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