By Rowan Fisher-ShottonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberNotre Dame’s 49-20 demolition of Stanford on Saturday marked another statement win for the Irish and kept their 10-game win streak alive behind one of college football's most potent offenses.
Running back Jeremiyah Love recorded 66 rushing yards and a rushing score, while freshman QB CJ Carr completed 17 of 27 passes for 205 yards, two TDs, and zero interceptions.
The Irish totaled 337 yards to the Cardinal's 226 and held Stanford to just three points in the first half.
Yet, when the College Football Playoff committee released its latest top-25 rankings on Tuesday, the Fighting Irish slipped from No. 9 to No. 10 — a counterintuitive move that immediately reshapes their first-round path.
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The game itself offered plenty to back Notre Dame’s resume.
The Irish scored on each of their first four drives, led 35-3 at halftime, and never looked back.
The victory also extended Notre Dame’s margin‑of‑victory streak, with all 10 wins since the early losses coming by double digits — including two 40‑point outings, two 50‑point games, and a 70‑point explosion against Syracuse.
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So the question then becomes, why the drop?
The selection committee balances wins, losses, the quality of opponents, and conference-champion slots, and unfortunately, Notre Dame’s two early defeats — to Miami and Texas A&M — still carry weight on the resume, even after a dominant stretch.
More concretely, because seeding is tied to the committee’s final ranking, moving from No. 9 to No. 10 alters Notre Dame’s first-round opponent.
With the latest list, the Irish would occupy a 7‑vs‑10 matchup against No. 7 Texas A&M rather than the 8‑vs‑9 pairing they would have had at No. 9 (which earlier projections matched with Oklahoma).
Ultimately, a one‑spot change late in the season may not seem significant, but it carries major implications for a program like Notre Dame.
For an independent like Notre Dame, which cannot claim a conference championship automatic slot, at‑large positioning and committee perception are everything.
The committee’s final release on December 7, along with conference‑championship results, represents the last chance to alter the bracket.
Barring dramatic swings, Notre Dame looks likely to secure a place in the 12‑team field — but the question now becomes who they will face first.
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