Notre Dame projected to get a bye and make a deep run in the CFP

Initially Notre Dame wasn’t able to get a first-round bye in the 12-team College Football Playoff, but that now has changed and could see the Irish not playing another home game after the regular season ends this year.

It was a fantastic atmosphere when the Irish hosted Indiana in 2024, but getting extra rest after a grueling year could be a big benefit. The Hoosiers finally bucked the trend of bye teams losing early, winning it all last year. With the season rapidly approaching, many are putting out projects to what the CFP will end up as.

Recently, Bill Bender of The Sporting News released his prediction, and Notre Dame could be facing Indiana again. However, this time it would be for a shot at the title. He has the Irish as the No. 3 seed taking on No. 6 Oregon in the quarterfinals.

Notre Dame would advance to face No. 2 Georgia in the semifinals, a similar route to the epic 2024 run. Another win over the Bulldogs would propel the Irish into the championship game once again.

Unfortunately, Bender has the Hoosiers winning back-to-back titles, with Notre Dame once again coming up short. It’d be a tough pill to swallow, but it would be a fun ride.

We're on to college football. A look at our @CFBPlayoff predictions for 2026-27. 100% accurate as usual. https://t.co/Cp9pwOdcUapic.twitter.com/e7JlPwDwxG

— Bill Bender (@BillBender92) July 7, 2026

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame projected to get a bye and make a deep run in the CFP