Joel Klatt believes major college football powerhouse will win out to secure CFP spot

Notre Dame could still reach the College Football Playoff by winning out at 10-2.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt predicted Notre Dame would win out the rest of their schedule to finish 10-2 and thus secure a bid into the College Football Playoff. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The first month of the season has been a turbulent ride for Notre Dame. After opening 0-2 with narrow losses against Miami and Texas A&M, the Fighting Irish looked like a team already on the outside of the College Football Playoff conversation. But as Joel Klatt sees it, the story may only be beginning.

On his Wednesday episode of The Joel Klatt Show, the Fox Sports analyst outlined why he believes Notre Dame still has a path to the postseason. With redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr emerging as one of the breakout players of the year, Klatt said he expects the program to rip off eight straight wins and finish 10-2, a record he believes would be enough to slide into the Playoff.

“I think Notre Dame comes all the way back, and they get into this thing,” Klatt said. “They are left for dead right now, but Notre Dame is going to come all the way back and be 10-2. If they run the table, they would get in. The losses would be, remember, at Miami, which was a tie game in the final two minutes, and A&M — one play away from winning that game.”

Klatt Explains Why Notre Dame Could Still Reach The Playoff

Klatt’s argument hinges on both Notre Dame’s offensive firepower and how the selection committee evaluates their résumé. He pointed to the team’s resurgence over the past two weeks, where the Irish piled up 56 points on back-to-back opponents for the first time since Lou Holtz’s final season in 1996. Purdue and Arkansas may not be heavyweight competition, but the dominance, Klatt argued, is a preview of what’s to come.

“And then you get into basically one more spot, because we’ve already got what I would say is the 12 seed in South Florida,” Klatt said. “So there’s one more spot. They’re 10-2. And based on the fact that I think that they’re going to kill people the rest of the year with a really potent offense and maybe one of the best quarterbacks in the country, I’m going to go with Notre Dame.”

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish still have a path to the College Football Playoff, especially if they win out the rest of their schedule. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Klatt also emphasized that the committee’s use of advanced metrics will be crucial. “The committee are going to have more metrics, and in particular not penalize teams for losses to really good opponents,” he said. “Well, in this scenario that I’m painting, Notre Dame’s losses would be to number two Miami and number seven Texas A&M. So their losses are not going to be held against them as much.”

While strength of schedule is a sticking point, Notre Dame’s closing slate includes Boise State, USC, NC State, Navy, Pitt, Syracuse, Boston College and Stanford. According to predictive models, the Irish will be favored in every game, with win probabilities hovering around or above 90 percent in five of those matchups.

CJ Carr’s Rise Adds Fuel To Playoff Belief

More than anything, Klatt highlighted Carr’s development as the spark for Notre Dame’s turnaround. In a season where several young quarterbacks have stood out nationally, the freshman has quickly earned a spot in that conversation.

“CJ Carr continues to rise up and be one of the best quarterbacks in the country,” Klatt said. “If you’re talking about two guys, if there are two quarterbacks, maybe three, that I’ve been so supremely impressed with — young guys, inexperienced guys — it’s Dante Moore, Ty Simpson, and CJ Carr. Those might be the three best quarterbacks in the country so far this year. They’ve been outstanding. Outstanding.”

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) and the Fighting Irish can still make a push for the College Football Playoff. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For Klatt, Carr’s emergence is the tipping point in a debate already fueled by Notre Dame’s brand power and playoff track record. The committee will ultimately have to weigh resume flaws against Carr’s growth and a string of potential blowouts. If the Irish continue to stack wins, the question may not be whether Notre Dame deserves a spot, but whether the committee has the stomach to leave them out.

Notre Dame will host Boise State on Saturday as the push for a 10-2 finish begins in earnest.