Notre Dame College Football Playoff Projection: Bye or Home Playoff Game?

It wasn't the prettiest or most dominant of things, but it also never felt like the game was truly in jeopardy this past weekend when Notre Dame took down North Carolina, 37-26.

The Fighting Irish are now 5-0 with lowly Stanford coming to town this Saturday, before the difficulty of the season goes up a few levels in the form of a trip to No. 8 BYU.

What does the postseason outlook appear to be for Notre Dame at this point in the season?

Well, that depends on who you ask, because different people have a different feeling on how the Fighting Irish will fare against Miami on November 7.

Win and a First Round bye in the CFP seems inevitable.

Lose and a home playoff game is the more likely scenario.

Notre Dame's Postseason Projections

Here's what the experts around the country see, as well as myself.

Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated changed its postseason outlook a bit this week, but not in where it sees Notre Dame.

It still gives Notre Dame the No. 1 overall seed, but instead of it potentially playing Iowa in the quarterfinals, it has the Fighting Irish playing the winner of No. 8 Indiana and No. 9 Oregon.

CBS Sports

CBS Sports is one of those that clearly doesn't see Notre Dame getting by Miami on Nov. 7. It has Miami as the No. 1 seed and Notre Dame falling short of a First Round bye, instead earning the six-seed and hosting No. 11 LSU.

College Football News

Pete Fiutak of College Football News has Notre Dame landing the one-seed, and getting the First Round bye. He then has Notre Dame playing No. 8 LSU in the Cotton Bowl, as he has LSU beating Texas in the First Round.

ESPN

Both projections from ESPN this week have Notre Dame earning a First Round bye. Bonagura of ESPN has Notre Dame earning the No. 2 seed, and gives it a date with No. 7 Alabama in the quarterfinals, while Schlabach gives Notre Dame the No. 4 seed, and a date with Alabama as well, who he has as the No. 5 seed.

Nick Shepkowski's Notre Dame Postseason Projection

The first half of Notre Dame's season is going to end up telling us very little in regard to where Notre Dame starts the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame is 5-0, really hasn't been too tested, and will be 6-0 after it fires Stanford into the sun this Saturday.

Then things get much more difficult with a trip to BYU on October 17, and a home clash with Miami on November 7.

Those two games will tell us infinitely more than anything we currently know.

Nick Shepkowski's Notre Dame Postseason Projection

I think Notre Dame is more talented and can do more things than BYU, so I assume a victory out west next weekend.

I also think Miami and Notre Dame are very similiar, but I give the slight edge currently to the Fighting Irish because it's defense shuts down the run, and Leonard Moore should be able to keep Malachi Toney enough in check in that showdown.

As a result, I have Notre Dame going 12-0, but I don't think it'll be the only unbeaten. From what I've seen to date, Georgia has impressed me the most of anyone, and I don't think it gets touched in SEC play.

A 13-0 Georgia team would get the nod for the No. 1 seed over a 12-0 Notre Dame team.

So I continue to have Notre Dame as the No. 2 seed in the CFP. Give me what ends up being a two-loss Texas team as the No. 7 seed, and Notre Dame's quarterfinal opponent this week.

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