Ranking of the last 6 opponents

With nearly half of the 2024 regular season planned, Notre Dame is on track to qualify for the College Football Playoff. There was a Northern Illinois stumble in Week 2, but the Irish have bounced back with three straight wins.

If Notre Dame wins, it’s in the playoffs. If the Irish stumble, it will be in the hands of the committee.

To see who is most likely to derail ND’s playoff hopes, we ranked the seven remaining opponents on the schedule from gentlest to toughest.

The Irish are more than a three-touchdown favorite to beat the Cardinal for the second straight year. Stanford has come back down to earth after upsetting Syracuse on the road and being defeated by Clemson and Virginia Tech in consecutive games.

The Seminoles are in complete free fall, losing all but Cal and averaging just 14.8 points per game. This should be the most difficult point on the schedule. Now it will be a surprise if Florida State can keep this game within two touchdowns.

Tony Elliott has the Hoos playing well, only losing to Maryland 4-1. Even if Virginia isn’t particularly good in any particular area, the program is learning how to win the next one. The Irish have won all four meetings between these schools.

The Army, like the Navy, has been one of the biggest surprises of the season so far. Behind QB Bryson Daily, the Black Knights are 5-0 and win every game by at least 17 points. ND and Army meet at Yankee Stadium in the Shamrock Series, renewing a historic rivalry the Irish have not lost since 1958.

The Irish have won six straight and 11 of the last 12 in the series. Another big W here, right? Maybe, but this neutral site matchup at MetLife looks a lot tougher than it did a few weeks ago. The Midshipmen have outscored their first five opponents by an average score of 44-20.

This trip to Atlanta is no joke. The Yellow Jackets are 4-2, having just handed Duke its first loss of the year. Brent Key has a defense that is at its best in over a decade, and QB Haynes King can stretch the Irish D with his arms and legs.

It’s a rivalry game at the Coliseum against the team with the best remaining roster. USC is always dangerous, but ND is currently favored because Troy still has a lot to prove. The Trojans have lost two of their last three games against Michigan and Minnesota and have beaten the Irish just once in their last six meetings.

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