Greg McElroy believes LSU, Notre Dame are best two-loss teams

There are a few places to look whenever the College Football Playoff rankings are released. Obviously, who occupies the No. 1 spot is a major storyline. Being the highest-ranked one-loss team usually bodes well too, still have a shot at being part of the final four.

Moving a little further down the rankings, you find the first two-loss team, LSU (Florida State, Ole Miss) at No. 14. One spot behind them is Notre Dame (Ohio State, Louisville), who also has two losses on their resume. Those two are the beginning of a long slew of two-loss teams but ESPN’s Greg McElroy agrees with the Tigers and Fighting Irish being at the top of the bunch.

“Two of the best two-loss teams in America,” McElroy said. “LSU has rebounded really nicely after having some up-and-down performances on the defensive side. Of course, losing to Florida State — nothing to be ashamed of. And then rebounding and getting a win against Missouri.

“Notre Dame, a win this weekend, for all intents and purposes, locks them into the New Year’s Six.”

McElroy is referencing Notre Dame’s game against Clemson, their final true test of the season. A bye week will come next week for Marcus Freeman before closing out the year against Wake Forest and a rivalry game vs. Stanford. You have to assume the Irish would be favorites to get wins in both of them.

A New Year’s Six game would be the second Freeman has coached in, making his debut in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State at the end of the 2021 season. Getting another high-profile matchup to close out 2023 would have to be considered a success for the program.

LSU has opportunity to make noise as two-loss team

LSU found itself in this position last season. A loss against Florida State plus an early loss against an SEC opponent likely put them out of the College Football Playoff conversation. But there was still plenty of opportunity to create chaos, beginning with Saturday’s game against Alabama.

Winning in Tuscaloosa would likely once again send LSU to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. It would mark the second time in as many years for Brian Kelly. Alabama is still alive and well for the CFP but dropping another game vs. the Tigers would all but end their bid.

With how Jayden Daniels is playing at the moment, nobody would want to see LSU lining up against them.