Notre Dame beats No. 1 Miami to secure CFP spot
The Irish moved to 8-1 after a 31-24 victory, aiming to avoid the ranking controversy that excluded them from the 2025 playoff.
By Alina Marshall ·
Notre Dame defeated the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes 31-24 on Saturday night in South Bend, Indiana. The victory improved the Irish record to 8-1 and likely locked in a spot in the College Football Playoff. Head coach Marcus Freeman said the team left no doubt in the outcome. He added that the staff does not need to focus on the current ranking debates.
The win came days after the selection committee released its first rankings of the season. Notre Dame appeared at No. 11 in that list, a drop from their position in the AP poll. The placement mirrored a controversy from the 2025 season. In that cycle, the committee ranked Miami ahead of Notre Dame in the final weeks, leaving the Irish out of the field despite a 10-2 regular season finish.
Freeman told his players to use the lower ranking as motivation. He noted that the team learned from the previous year's experience. He stated that rankings do not matter until the final week of the season. Safety Luke Talich said the team viewed the game as a chance to regain control of their destiny. He added that the players knew they could not leave the decision to the judges this time.
The selection rules have changed for the 2026 season. Under the new protocol, any team ranked in the top 12 on Selection Sunday receives a guaranteed berth in the 12-team field. This rule would have placed last season's No. 11 Irish into the playoff. The committee's latest release did not respect Notre Dame's strength of schedule. It placed the Irish at No. 11 while ranking Alabama at No. 5, despite Alabama being lower in the AP poll.
CBS Sports forecasting models gave Notre Dame a 92.7 percent chance of making the playoff after the win. It was the first time since 2020 that the Irish beat an AP No. 1 team. That previous victory came against Clemson. Freeman said the team must focus on the next game immediately. He emphasized that work from Monday through Friday dictates performance on Saturday.
Notre Dame has played two ranked opponents this season with a 1-1 record. A 28-24 loss to BYU earlier in the year kept them out of the top 10 in the previous ranking. The Irish host Boston College on Saturday. Boston College has a 4-5 record. Notre Dame then hosts SMU on November 21 and closes the season at Syracuse on November 29. Syracuse also holds a 4-5 record.
The team could gain another ranked win in two weeks. SMU hosts Wake Forest this week. If SMU wins, the Mustangs could enter the top 25. That would give Notre Dame a third game against a ranked opponent in the final three weeks. The Irish have won 12 straight games in November. This is the second-longest active streak in the country, behind Oregon's 13-game run.
Talich intercepted Darian Mensah during Saturday's game. He also broke up a pass that would have tied the score. He said the team treats every remaining contest as a playoff game. He noted that the pressure is part of the job. The Irish must win three more games to ensure they do not repeat the scenario from last year.
The selection committee releases its next rankings on Tuesday night. Notre Dame's position in that list will determine their seed in the bracket. The team has three games left on its schedule. Each result affects their standing in the top 12. The Irish aim to finish the regular season with the strongest possible resume.
