Notre Dame aims for playoff as ACC eyes second entry in 2026
CBS Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 28, 2026, 12:24 PM
Last updated Jun 28, 2026

Ahead of the 2026 College Football Playoff, Notre Dame is positioned as a top contender, embracing a villain role in the process. The Fighting Irish are seen as capable of securing a playoff spot thanks to their strong roster and favorable schedule. Meanwhile, the ACC looks to solidify its position with potential second entries, Miami and Louisville, who could earn spots through key wins. The of playoff contention remains competitive, especially with several SEC teams likely to advocate for inclusion if they are excluded from the final selections this season.
- •Notre Dame viewed as a playoff contender with strong preseason hype
- •ACC's Miami and Louisville could join the playoff conversation
- •SEC teams may seek at-large bids during selection discussions
- •Expanded playoff offers opportunities for Group of Six teams like UNLV
- 12:24 PMCBS Sports — 10 College Football Playoff guarantees for 2026: Notre Dame embraces villain role, 2 ACC teams get in
"The College Football Playoff is infamously hard to predict, CBS Sports bowl expert Brad Crawford is standing by these 10 guarantees for the fall
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- NCAAF•Jun 28, 2026, 1:30 PMPeyton Manning picks side before Texas faces Tennessee in 2026 SEC Opener
- NCAAF•Jun 28, 2026, 12:27 PMOle Miss quarterback previews LSU game, match vs. Lane Kiffin
- NCAAF•Jun 28, 2026, 12:02 PMAuburn transfers Byrum Brown, Cody Sigler earn high praise from ESPN
- NCAAF•Jun 28, 2026, 12:01 PMGerald McCoy sees OU’s third-year defenders as regression fix
- NCAAF•Jun 28, 2026, 12:01 PMWashington football projected to make slight improvement in 2026
- NCAAF•Jun 28, 2026, 12:00 PMStorm Cellar: Film Review of the Central Michigan Chippewas
