After being snubbed from the 2025 College Football Playoff, Notre Dame has an agreement in place to make the CFP in 2026, subject to the following conditions.
Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff Deal Starts in 2026
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 7, 2025
It was a bad weekend for Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish.
The final College Football Playoff rankings were released on Sunday, and Notre Dame did not qualify for the CFP.
After being ranked inside the top 10 in the penultimate rankings, Notre Dame dropped to No. 11 and was the first team out of the College Football Playoff.
Why did the Irish not qualify for the playoff despite being ranked inside the top 12? The current rules of the 12-team playoff state that the five highest-ranked conference champions earn automatic berths. This year, the final two spots in the CFP were granted to No. 11 Tulane and No. 12 James Madison.
Because Notre Dame is not in a conference, it cannot earn an automatic bid to the playoff.
However, a new agreement between Notre Dame and all nine FBS conferences outlines the Irish’s path to the playoff.
Starting in 2026, Notre Dame will be guaranteed a playoff spot in a 12-or-more-team playoff if it finishes in the top 12. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua revealed the Irish signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the College Football Playoff committee that goes into effect next year.
This year, the Irish were leapfrogged by Miami, which defeated the Irish in the first game of the 2025 season.
Notre Dame missed out on a $4 million payday awarded to each school that makes the playoff.
After missing the playoffs, Notre Dame controversially opted out of a bowl game. The Irish will not play another game this season.
College Football Playoff Sets Field
Take a look at the full and final College Football Playoff selection committee rankings upon completion of the 2025 regular season!#CFBPlayoff 🏈🏆 pic.twitter.com/uFKYJCDM28
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) December 7, 2025
The College Football Playoff is set.
The Indiana Hoosiers are the No. 1 seed after beating previously undefeated Ohio State to win the Big 10 title. Ohio State drops to No. 2, with No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Texas Tech. All four teams earned a bye in the first round.
No. 5 Oregon, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas A&M, and No. 8 Oklahoma will host first-round matchups. No. 9 Alabama, No. 10 Miami, No. 11 Tulane (20), and No. 12 James Madison (24) earned the final four spots.
CFP First Round (Friday, Dec. 19)
- No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama
CFP First Round (Saturday, Dec. 20)
- No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami
- No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Tulane
- No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 James Madison
CFP Quarterfinals (Wednesday, Dec. 31)
- No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M/No. 10 Miami (Fla.) winner – Cotton Bowl
CFP Quarterfinals (Thursday, Jan. 1)
- No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon/No. 12 James Madison winner – Orange Bowl
- No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oklahoma/No. 9 Alabama winner – Rose Bowl
- No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss/No. 11 Tulane winner – Sugar Bowl
