Skip to main content

Heather Dinich expects College Football Playoff selection committee to be skeptical of Notre Dame

On3 imageby:Andrew Grahamabout 8 hours

AndrewEdGraham

Marcus Freeman Navy
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. (Bill Streicher/Blue & Gold)

Notre Dame, sitting at 7-1 and fresh off a win over then-undefeated Navy, clocked in at No. 8 in the latest AP Poll rankings. But a Top 10 ranking might not be in the cards when the College Football Playoff selection committee releases it’s initial rankings next Tuesday.

That is, at least, what ESPN college football reporter Heather Dinich thinks could happen. Discussing the Irish with colleague Rece Davis on a dress rehearsal rankings show — the first real ones drop on Nov. 5 — Dinich explained that the committee is probably going to put a lot of weight on Notre Dame’s loss, which came at home to a MAC team, Northern Illinois.

“I think this is going to be a much more significant and deep discussion in that committee meeting room than it has been outside of it, for the two reasons you just pointed out: Great win against Texas A&M, worst loss in the country, at home to NIU that now has four losses,” Dinich said. “And I promise you, there will be committee members in that room who point that out and have a hard time getting over it.”

Outside of the loss to the Huskies, Notre Dame has looked the part of a contender, including winning a season opener on the road against a Texas A&M team that’s now first place in the SEC.

Top 10

  1. 1

    World Series

    Yankees fan rip ball from Mookie Betts' glove

  2. 2

    Bryce Underwood

    Inside the NIL-fueled recruitment for 5-star LSU QB commit

    Hot
  3. 3

    West Virginia fires DC

    Mountaineers part ways with defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley, per reports

  4. 4

    Kiffin calls out SEC

    Ole miss coach tired of LSU always getting night games

    Trending
  5. 5

    Michigan vs. MSU fight

    Big Ten will not punish Wolverines or Spartans following the end-of-game fight on Saturday.

View All

Save $30 on your first month of Fubo by CLICKING HERE NOW!

For a limited time, you can get your first month of Fubo for as low as $49.99. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

Most recently, the Irish eviscerated Navy, sinking the undefeated season for the Midshipmen in a rout on a neutral field. And in doing so, Notre Dame showed off a version of itself that looks to not only be better than the team that lost a stunner at home, but potentially one that can make noise in the postseason.

But that alone, Dinich said, is probably not going to be enough to keep the Irish in a Top 10 spot.

“But [Booger McFarland’s] right, they’ve played well,” Dinich said. “The offense looked great against Navy. I was there. This is a better team now than it was then. But I would expect Notre Dame’s place in the committee’s first ranking to look different than it does in the AP Poll. I’m thinking around 11, 12, 13 and I think they are behind Texas A&M because of the Aggies win against LSU.”