Notre Dame is still 101 days away from opening its 2025 football season against Miami on August 31, but it scored one of its most significant wins of the year on Thursday.
A long-anticipated change to the College Football Playoff format was officially announced, and it could greatly benefit the Fighting Irish.
In 2024, only conference champions were eligible for the top four seeds and the accompanying first-round byes. However, starting in 2025, those top four spots will go to the highest-ranked teams overall, regardless of whether they won their conference.
“After evaluating the first year of the 12-team Playoff, the CFP Management Committee felt it was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the College Football Playoff. “This change will continue to allow guaranteed access to the Playoff by rewarding teams for winning their conference championship, but it will also allow us to construct a postseason bracket that recognizes the best performance on the field during the entire regular season.”
When the College Football Playoff expansion was first revealed, Notre Dame was excluded from first-round bye eligibility due to its independent status. That’s no longer an issue for Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish, as the updated format removes that limitation. Now, the only thing more advantageous than hosting a first-round playoff game is skipping that round altogether — a possibility now within Notre Dame’s reach.
Nick Shepkowski’s Quick Take:
Credit is due to former Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick for approving the framework of the initially expanded College Football Playoff.
Swarbrick faced plenty of criticism at the time, as the original format effectively blocked Notre Dame from ever earning a first-round bye due to its independent status. But it’s hard to imagine he didn’t foresee that rule being short-lived — and that eventually, the top four seeds would get the byes, regardless of conference affiliation.
Earlier this week, reports suggested the storied rivalry with USC may be coming to an end. While that history would be a loss, Notre Dame’s schedule remains elite. The Irish have already locked in a long-term annual series with Clemson, and future matchups are on the books against Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Texas, and other national powers.
Despite the shifting college football landscape — and to the frustration of some conference purists — Notre Dame’s position as an independent may be stronger now than ever.
SOURCE: SI.COM
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