Breaking down Notre Dame’s ranking in the first CFP Poll of 2026

Notre Dame football found out on Tuesday night what the College Football Playoff committee thinks of them, and it wasn't pretty . The Irish were ranked as the No. 11 team , which means they'd be in right now, but with that stop comes plenty of questions. Those aren't just for Notre Dame, they're for plenty of other teams across the county that don't feel great about their chances of making the 12-team playoff. After having a chance to think it over, I've got more than a few thoughts on Notre Dame's ranking and the current field.