Projecting where Notre Dame lands in second CFP Poll of 2026

Notre Dame football secured a significant victory on Saturday, defeating Miami, a former No. 1 team, in South Bend. The US LBM Coaches Poll currently ranks them at No. 3, which is a notable achievement. However, the more critical rankings are those of the College Football Playoff (CFP), with the second set of 2026 rankings due to be released later in the evening.

Coming into the week, Notre Dame was at No. 11, but it is expected to climb higher. The challenge lies in surpassing every team with two losses, which likely places them at a minimum of No. 5. Despite this, a jump over Indiana, whose loss to Ohio State has diminished in significance, seems plausible, potentially positioning them at No. 3, a reasonable expectation.

It seems unlikely they will leapfrog Utah or Georgia, who are projected to hold the top two spots. Regardless of the outcome tonight, Notre Dame finds itself in an excellent position to secure a spot in the CFP with only three games remaining in the regular season. A night we'll surely remember ☘️ #GoIrish ☘️ | @icyhot pic.twitter.com/kkdrBZaFP9 — Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) November 9, 2026.

For further coverage, follow @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like their Facebook page. Mike Chen (@MikeFChen) provided this report for Fighting Irish Wire.