Newsstand: ESPN writer names potential College Football Playoff contenders, includes Notre Dame
Notre Dame enters 2022 with a new head coach, but the expectations more closely align with those expected of a veteran.
On Thursday, ESPN college football writer Heather Dinich put forth 20 teams she believes could conceivably make the College Football Playoff this season. Notre Dame is among them. The Irish have a 17.9 percent shot to be one of the final four teams standing and a 1.7 percent chance of bringing home the national title, per the ESPN Football Power Index.
Dinich listed the toughest test, something the committee will like and something the committee won’t like for each of her chosen squads. For the first category, it’s easy: Ohio State.
“Is there any bigger initiation stage for first-year Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, a former linebacker for the Buckeyes and native of Huber Heights, Ohio?” Dinich said. “ESPN’s FPI gives Ohio State an 83.5% chance to win. If Freeman somehow pulls off the win — without injured starting wide receiver Avery Davis — it might be the biggest win of the season.”
Notre Dame’s best talking point this season, per Dinich? The Irish have the No. 13 strength of schedule in the country. Road matchups against Ohio State, North Carolina and USC along with a neutral-site clash with BYU in Las Vegas are a few of the games Dinich tossed out for thought.
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Dinich’s expected knock on the Irish is one which is quite familiar: Notre Dame does not play a conference championship game.
“A conference championship is one of several tiebreakers the committee uses when determining between comparable teams, which makes it difficult for the Irish to elbow out a one-loss Power 5 champ for a top-four spot,” Dinich said.
Tweets of the day
Notre Dame commit CJ Carr looked sharp in his junior year opener for Saline (Mich.) High. The four-star signal-caller’s squad won 25-14.
Football season. It’s coming.
Notre Dame Stadium, Compton Ice Arena and Purcell Pavilion are ready for the 2022-23 season.
Quote of the day
“Knowing they believe enough in me to create a role for me, whatever that will be, means a lot to me.”
— Former walk-on tight end and fullback Davis Sherwood, who was placed on scholarship earlier this week
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WATCH: Notre Dame 5-star S commit Peyton Bowen records 75-yard pick-six (Drew Schott, On3)
