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Notre Dame

Newsstand: Who would Notre Dame face in the College Football Playoff if the season ended today?

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble11/20/24jacksoble56
Ian book alabama
Then-Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

Notre Dame (9-1) is No. 6 in the updated College Football Playoff rankings, but No. 8 in the projected bracket. That would earn the Irish a home game in the first round of the CFP and a date with No. 7 Alabama (8-2).

This is not the “We will smash you with hammers” Crimson Tide of the Nick Saban era, whose (arguably) best team trounced the Irish 31-14 in the CFP semifinals in 2020. However, this is still a dangerous Alabama team who, like Notre Dame, responded well to a shocking (but significantly more excusable) early-season loss.

After the Tide lost to Vanderbilt 40-35 on Oct. 5, it beat South Carolina before losing to Tennessee on the road and pulling off convincing wins over Missouri (34-0) and LSU (42-13).

First-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has perhaps the only dual-threat quarterback more dangerous than Riley Leonard this season: Jalen Milroe. Milroe has accounted for 32 touchdowns — 15 through the air and 17 on the ground — this season.

Alabama closes its regular season with matchups against Oklahoma and Auburn. If it wins both, it has a significant chance to reach the Southeastern Conference Championship game.

Notre Dame Tweets of the day

The Irish were the No. 5 team in the country the day they lost to Northern Illinois. They’ve climbed all the way back to No. 6.

Xavier Watts is having a phenomenal season.

The Irish are 4-0 in men’s basketball.

Quote of the day

“I met with the defensive staff and the first thing we said is that the biggest mistake we can make is to think that this is Navy 2.0. It’s not. It’s a different offense. They do some different things. They got a different identity, and present a different challenge.”

— Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman on Army

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