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Notre Dame (7-2) has been on a tear since opening the season 0-2, firmly placing itself back in the College Football Playoff conversation as it aims for a return trip after last year's runner-up finish. After narrow losses to Miami and Texas A&M by a combined four points to start the season, the Fighting Irish have navigated a much easier slate over the past two months, winning convincingly and racking up the largest average margin of victory among undefeated FBS teams since Week 4 -- tied with Ohio State. That dominant stretch has allowed Marcus Freeman's squad to rebuild confidence and make a strong case for remaining in the CFP top 10 heading into the final three games. Notre Dame's College Football Playoff path College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 9 Seed: No. 9 Best wins: No. 17 USC Losses: No. 15 Miami, No. 3 Texas A&M Remaining path at No. 22 Pittsburgh (Nov. 15) vs. Syracuse (Nov. 22) at Stanford (Nov. 29) Notre Dame's been in must-win mode since starting the season 0-2. The CFP remains in sight for the Fighting Irish, who are just three games away from returning to the bracket. The first test is the toughest of the stretch: a road trip to No. 22 Pittsburgh, which has won five straight since Mason Heintschel took over at quarterback. A win would make the path forward much clearer; a loss would effectively eliminate Notre Dame. If they get past the Panthers, the schedule eases. The Fighting Irish close out against Syracuse and at Stanford -- two ACC teams near the bottom of the conference standings and already out of contention for bowl eligibility -- offering a chance to pad wins to their résumé and finish the season strong. Vegas says Oddsmakers are firmly on board with Notre Dame making the CFP again, listing the Fighting Irish at -385 to reach the 12-team bracket -- the eighth-best odds on FanDuel Sportsbook as of Nov. 12. Still, a return to the playoff isn't a guarantee, with +300 that they miss out, reflecting some caution about the road trip to Pittsburgh and the need to avoid any late-season slip-ups. We think ... Notre Dame sits in a "win and you're in" spot given its positioning in the CFP Rankings. If the Fighting Irish take care of business in their remaining three games, it's unlikely they'll be leapfrogged by multiple bubble teams, barring a series of narrow or unimpressive victories. The win over USC in October strengthens their résumé as the lone top-25 victory and could be a decisive factor if the Trojans make a late push. Notre Dame is a 12.5-point favorite on the road against No. 22 Pittsburgh, so there shouldn't be much reason to doubt that the Fighting Irish will handle their first test of the final stretch and cruise into the CFP riding a double-digit game win streak.
