Heather Dinich explains why Notre Dame's College Football Playoff chances rest with a win vs. OSU

This weekend, Ohio State is traveling to Notre Dame to play in one of the marquee games of the entire 2023 college football season. It’s a game that’s getting tons of attention from fans around the country and will likely have an impact on the College Football Playoff.

During an appearance on Get Up, college football insider Heather Dinich explained why it’s more important for Notre Dame to win this game, as far as the College Football Playoff is concerned.

“I’m gonna go with Notre Dame because they don’t have an opportunity, obviously, to win a conference championship,” Heather Dinich explained. “And when teams don’t have that on their resume, they face a higher burden of proof in the College Football Playoff selection committee meeting room. They have to have no doubt that even though Notre Dame lost to Ohio State, they are still one of the four best teams, which means Notre Dame has to run the table and they have to hope for some help.”

None of that is to say that Ohio State will have an easy path to the College Football Playoff if the Buckeyes lose to Notre Dame. However, by virtue of being in a conference Ohio State has a wider margin for error.

“Ohio State, if they lose, I think they’re in big trouble because they’ve got to beat Michigan. They’ve got to win the Big Ten,” Dinich said. “But at least they have that chance at the conference championship.”

Notre Dame has been to the College Football Playoff twice, most recently in the 2020 season. That season, Notre Dame was a member of the ACC due to the pandemic and made the Playoff despite a loss. Ohio State has been to the Playoff five times, including winning a national championship in 2014.

Ryan Day admits QB experience is a factor in games like Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

Going into the Notre Dame-Ohio State game, the Irish have a clear advantage in terms of experience at the quarterback position. Ahead of the game, Day admitted that experience is often going to play a factor in this type of game.

“Yeah, I think it’s a factor. How much of one? I think Kyle’s been around, he hasn’t played a whole bunch of football but he has been around, he’s seen it. So he’s older, more mature than maybe a freshman who’s coming into the same situation,” Day said.

“I think experience does play a part of it, it’s not the number one thing overall, there’s a lot of other things that come with it. But I do think it’s significant.”