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Notre Dame enters CFP rankings after beating Clemson

On3 imageby:Patrick Engel•11/08/22•

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(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The voters in both human polls put Notre Dame back in the top 25 after the Irish beat Clemson Saturday. The College Football Playoff has followed suit two days later.

Notre Dame (6-3) is ranked No. 20 in the second edition of the 2022 CFP rankings, which refreshed Tuesday night. Its absence from them last week was its first exclusion since the final edition of the 2016 top 25.

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The Irish returned with authority. They dusted then-No. 4 Clemson 35-14 and never trailed in the game. They shut out the Tigers for nearly 50 minutes and rushed for 263 yards. It was their 27th straight regular-season win over an ACC opponent, a streak that dates back to November 2017. They are on a three-game win streak since a loss to Stanford Oct. 15.

The CFP rankings included four other three-loss teams. Notre Dame is the third-highest ranked of them – ahead of No. 23 Florida State and No. 24 Kentucky but behind No. 18 Texas and No. 19 Kansas State.

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Four Irish opponents are in Tuesday’s updated rankings. Ohio State (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) stayed at No. 2 after clawing past one-win Northwestern 21-7. USC (8-1, 6-1 Pac-12) went from No. 9 to No. 8 after a 41-35 defeat of California. Clemson (8-1, 6-0 ACC) dropped to No. 10. North Carolina (8-1, 5-0 ACC), winners of five straight games since losing to Notre Dame Sept. 24, moved from No. 17 to 15 after a 31-28 win over Virginia.

Notre Dame lost to Ohio State 21-10 to open the season and beat North Carolina 45-32. Both games were on the road. It plays at USC Nov. 26 to close the regular season. Clemson was the Irish’s only chance at earning a ranked win at home this year.

Syracuse (6-3, 3-2 ACC) dropped out from No. 20 after a 19-9 loss to Pitt. The Orange have lost three straight games, including a 41-24 home loss to Notre Dame Oct. 29.

College Football Playoff Rankings, Nov. 8

  1. Georgia (9-0)
  2. Ohio State (9-0)
  3. Michigan (9-0)
  4. TCU (9-0)
  5. Tennessee (8-1)
  6. Oregon (8-1)
  7. LSU (7-2)
  8. USC (8-1)
  9. Alabama (7-2)
  10. Clemson (8-1)
  11. Ole Miss (8-1)
  12. UCLA (8-1)
  13. Utah (7-2)
  14. Penn State (7-2)
  15. North Carolina (8-1)
  16. North Carolina State (7-2)
  17. Tulane (8-1)
  18. Texas (6-3)
  19. Kansas State (6-3)
  20. Notre Dame (6-3)
  21. Illinois (7-2)
  22. UCF (7-2)
  23. Florida State (6-3)
  24. Kentucky (6-3)
  25. Washington (7-2)

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