Looking at the major networks and publications, only Austin Mock of The Athletic has Notre Dame as a top eight seed. Only seeds 5 through 8 will host a playoff game, and Mock has the Irish as a No. 8 seed. He has Notre Dame slated to play Alabama in the first round.

Notre Dame landed TKth in the latest College Football Rankings. Here’s a playoff picture for the Fighting Irish.

See how Notre Dame fans responded to the first College Football Playoff rankings and what it means for the Irish.

Now that the College Football Playoff Rankings have been released, the race towards the 12-team postseason has become extremely real. The playoff picture gained some clarity in Week 11 with hopefuls from around the country in action.

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) throws the ball during the first half against the Navy Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

We knew that the AP Top 25 college football rankings could see some major movement based on how a loaded Week 11 played out. But even then, I don't think we rea