We’re fast approaching the apex of the 2026 college football season for Notre Dame and other playoff hopefuls, but the developments around the playoff landscape for 2027 and beyond have also drawn attention this week.

While the current playoff format includes 12 teams, a monumental shift to a 24-team bracket was confirmed earlier today, though questions about Notre Dame’s uncertain place persist for College Football Playoff Director Rich Clark.

What Rich Clark Had To Say About Notre Dame’s Playoff Status

Asked during Monday’s CFP media teleconference whether Notre Dame’s independent status would affect how the selection committee evaluates the Fighting Irish under the expanded format, executive director Rich Clark said there would be no change in how the program is assessed: “They’re obviously a great football team and we’ll continue to assess them as we have.”

As it stands, Notre Dame is currently 8-1 through the first nine weeks of the season. It remains a football independent, although its scheduling partnership with the ACC, which began in 2014, continues through 2037.

Clark continued, “Right now they will be seeded into the Playoff as they’re ranked. The policy now is that they’re ranked in the 12-team, with the 12-team format, that they would be in. In a 24-team format, though, if they’re ranked anywhere in the top 24, they’re in the playoff.

“We’ll assess them according to their season and what happens on the field.”

It’s seemingly positive news for the Fighting Irish, as their nuanced position in college football has occasionally led to sport-wide drama.

In 2025, Notre Dame was enveloped in controversy when the selection committee left the 10-2 Fighting Irish outside the bracket, instead choosing to include Miami and Alabama. After opening the season 0-2 with one-possession losses to Miami and Texas A&M, they bounced back in significant fashion, winning 10 consecutive games and earning a spot in the top 10 of the CFP rankings for the first five weeks.

Despite Notre Dame’s past rankings, they were ultimately excluded from the final bracket, with one of the deciding factors being their head-to-head loss against Miami.

Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua heavily criticized the ruling, claiming they had been misled by the playoff committee, sparking debate nationwide.

Though the playoff expansion can be argued against, it helps avoid any similar Notre Dame debates in the future, as it appears unlikely that Notre Dame would slip into the 20s in subsequent rankings due to their impressive recent success.

Notre Dame entered the Miami matchup ranked No. 11 in the initial CFP rankings. After defeating the then-No. 1 Hurricanes 31-24, the Fighting Irish climbed to No. 3 in Sunday’s AP Top 25, strengthening their case for a significant jump in the next CFP rankings.

If Notre Dame’s 7th-ranked offense and 19th-ranked defense in PFN’s Impact Metrics, continue rolling, they should have no issue making the playoffs this season.