Photo via Yahoo Sports

Why Notre Dame’s Schedule Is Flawed in the College Football Playoff Debate Ahead of BYU Showdown

Notre Dame’s upcoming 2026 schedule has reignited debates over how college football’s playoff selection process treats teams with heavily stacked lineups. The Irish’s slate includes six games against programs like Rice, Stanford, Navy, Boston College, and Syracuse—opponents they’re expected to dominate by wide margins.

With only two competitive matchups (BYU and Miami at home), the schedule raises questions about whether Notre Dame is prioritizing easy wins to bolster playoff résumés over meaningful competition. The strategy mirrors past seasons where the team went 11-1 but missed the playoffs, leading to criticism that the selection committee overvalues blowout victories over tougher wins.

Notre Dame’s independent status further complicates the issue, as joining a conference would force them to play more challenging opponents. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit called the imbalance ‘an embarrassment,’ arguing that a top-tier team shouldn’t rely on such a one-sided schedule to secure a playoff spot.

Up nextCollege Football· 1h ago

Marcus Freeman gets completely honest on coaching Notre Dame Fighting Irish