Notre Dame climbed six spots to No. 5 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings after handing Miami, the previously top-ranked team, a 31-24 defeat at home. The Irish improved to 8-1 with the win on Nov. 7 in South Bend, pushing Miami down two places to No. 7 following their loss.
After the upset, Notre Dame sits just behind Georgia, Utah, Alabama, and UCLA in the rankings released Tuesday, Nov. 10. Georgia took over the No. 1 spot with an 8-1 record, while undefeated Utah and UCLA hold the No. 2 and No. 4 positions respectively. Alabama, at 7-2, occupies third place.
Miami’s fall from No. 1 to No. 7 marks a significant drop for the Hurricanes, who had held the top ranking prior to the loss. Indiana also experienced a slide, dropping five spots to No. 9 after sitting out last week. BYU, with two losses including a close defeat to unbeaten Utah, dropped just one place to No. 10. The Cougars handed Notre Dame its only defeat of the season earlier this year, winning 28-24 on Oct. 17.
Notre Dame’s head coach Marcus Freeman has welcomed the rise in the playoff rankings, which reflect the Irish’s strong recent performances. The team will host Boston College this weekend and finish the regular season against Syracuse on Nov. 28.
This season marks the early stages of the expanded College Football Playoff format, which will eventually feature a 24-team field. In the current setup, the top four teams earn first-round byes once the 12-team playoff field is finalised in December.
SMU remains outside the CFP top 25 despite ranking 25th in the media poll and 23rd in the US LBM coaches poll. The Mustangs are set to face Notre Dame in South Bend on Nov. 21.
Mike Berardino, who covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com, reported the latest rankings. The Irish’s rise in the standings signals a renewed playoff push after their victory over a previously unbeaten Miami side.
According to Yahoo Sports.
