Where Notre Dame Fighting Irish rank in Dec. 2 College Football Playoff rankings

Just like that, we’re five days away from learning Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff fate. Really, four, if you choose to think that by the end of conference championship Saturday we’ll know if the Fighting Irish are in or out, depending on what transpired that day.

As of now, they’re in.

Notre Dame (10-2) came in at No. 10 in Tuesday’s penultimate CFP rankings reveal, the last one before the playoff field is set in stone during Sunday’s selection show.

It’s been a steady hold for Notre Dame inside the top 10 of the rankings ever since the first set of them came out a month ago. There has also been a consistent ceiling blocking the Irish from moving up any further, though. That ceiling didn’t come crumbling down during the last week of the regular season.

Notre Dame could have used an upset in the Egg Bowl, Mississippi State over Ole Miss. The Rebels won easily despite their head coach having basically both feet out the door; Lane Kiffin is at LSU now. Speaking of LSU; the Tigers could have beaten Oklahoma to afford Notre Dame some breathing room, but they blew a 10-3 lead and lost 17-13.

It’s coming down to Notre Dame avoiding a doomsday scenario in order for the Irish to punch their second consecutive playoff ticket; so long as Alabama and BYU do not win their respective conference championship games, the Irish shouldn’t have anything to worry about Sunday. Based on Tuesday night’s rankings and assuming nothing will change for the teams not playing this weekend, there wouldn’t be a way for Notre Dame to be pushed out.

Here are the rankings for a better visual on why that would be.

Dec. 2 College Football Playoff rankings: Notre Dame No. 10

1. Ohio State (12-0)
2. Indiana (12-0)
3. Georgia (11-1)
4. Texas Tech (11-1)
5. Oregon (11-1)

6. Ole Miss (11-1)
7. Texas A&M (11-1)
8. Oklahoma (10-2)
9. Alabama (10-2)
10. Notre Dame (10-2)

11. BYU (11-1)
12. Miami (10-2)
13. Texas (10-2)
14. Vanderbilt (10-2)
15. Utah (10-2)

16. USC (9-3)
17. Virginia (10-2)
18. Arizona (9-3)
19. Michigan (9-3)
20. Tulane (10-2)

21. Houston (9-3)
22. Georgia Tech (9-3)
23. Iowa (8-4)
24. North Texas (11-1)
25. James Madison (11-1)

If the College Football Playoff started today…

FIRST ROUND BYES
1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Georgia
4. Texas Tech

FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS (on home campus of higher-seeded school)

No. 12 seed (Conference Champ No. 5) vs.
No. 5 seed Oregon

No. 11 seed (Conference Champ No. 4) vs.
No. 6 seed Ole Miss

No. 10 seed Notre Dame vs.
No. 7 seed Texas A&M

No. 9 seed Alabama vs.
No. 8 seed Oklahoma