The Committee Has Spoken: Notre Dame Has No More Room to Breathe

2 hours ago

3 min read

On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff committee announced its first official rankings of the season, and raised the stakes even more for Notre Dame's epic showdown with Miami this Saturday night.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Notre Dame's matchup against Miami has been circled by many well before the season started. The two programs obviously have an intense history that dates back to the '80s. Last season, that relationship only became fierier, as Miami beat the Irish in what turned out to be the deciding factor for Notre Dame's playoff elimination. Now, the matchup between the two rivals will once again have huge playoff implications for Notre Dame, as they attempt to add a signature win to their resume, something they failed to do last season.

As if Notre Dame vs. Miami couldn't have gotten any bigger, the CFP committee sent a stark message to Notre Dame that this Saturday is a "must-win" for the Irish to keep their playoff hopes alive. That message came in the form of the 11th ranking in the country. While that is still in the playoffs, it is much lower than the AP poll's ranking of Notre Dame (No. 4). That means that the committee is still not convinced of Notre Dame's resume, leaving the game against the Hurricanes as a way to prove it. The 11th ranking truly makes it a make-or-break, must-win game for the Irish. While many knew it would come down to this, the committee confirmed it.

Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today!

If Notre Dame wins, it will be exactly what their resume needs. While Notre Dame has beaten a few mediocre teams, they have yet to win a marquee game. BYU could have been that exact moment, but Marcus Freeman and the Irish let it slip through their fingers. Not only is Miami a great team this year, but they are the No.1 team in the country. It would be a program-defining win for the Irish and would be Freeman's biggest regular-season win of his career. From there, Notre Dame would just need to take care of the remaining teams on the schedule, which are all very favorable for the Irish. At 11-1, Notre Dame would almost certainly guarantee themselves a top four seed and a BYE.

If Notre Dame loses, they will be exactly where they were last season. They will be a good team that failed to win one of two big games on their schedule. Last season, they lost to Texas A&M and Miami, the only strong opponents on their 2025 slate. When it came down to it, Notre Dame simply did not have the good wins on their resume to beat out other 10-2 teams. While the committee did handle it poorly, it was hard to argue with that rationale. Now, Notre Dame is dangerously close to the same situation after a possible loss this Saturday. They would likely finish 10-2 once again. And once again, they would lack a strong, season-defining win. The committee has already made it apparent they want to see that type of win on every playoff team's resume. Notre Dame will have to earn it against the No.1 team in the country. If they don't, it will crush the playoff hopes of a team many Irish fans believed could win the National Championship.

It cannot be overstated what this upcoming game against Miami means for Notre Dame. Irish fans have been begging for years for a team that can kick the notion that Notre Dame can't win the big game. Even after a National Championship run, many believe it is still the same program that struggles in the big moments. The BYU game reinforced that narrative, leaving Notre Dame with one more chance to prove it to the entire country at home. If they do, it will set this season right back on track, giving fans hope this team can still fulfill all their expectations. If they lose, it will be just another heartbreaking loss for the Irish. And with the talent on this team, not playing in the playoffs would feel like a complete waste of the season.

Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism.

Follow The Irish Tribune on social media:

Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok