Notre Dame’s Playoff Slide Sparks Debate | Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football News

Notre Dame’s dominant win over Wisconsin didn’t shake up everyone’s rankings—Andy Staples dropped them to seventh seed, a massive drop from his August top pick. USC and Virginia leapfrogged into the top twelve, while Navy edged out Boise State as the best Group of Five team. If this holds, Notre Dame could face USC in the first round—a mouthwatering clash. Critics question the downgrade, pointing to shaky performances by higher-ranked teams like Oregon (who barely beat Boise State) and Ole Miss (who lost to Louisville). With the season still young, projections are fluid—and we’re all waiting to see if Staples’ bold moves match reality. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/17c7ee6aa37091ea