What happened: Notre Dame secured a marquee victory over the Hurricanes, who recently earned the top spot in the first CFP rankings. Despite the setback, the Hurricanes remain firmly positioned in the national title race with an open path to the postseason. The defeat marks their first stumble of the campaign rather than the end of their championship pursuit.

Why it matters: Under the expanded playoff format, a one-loss heavyweight with a high-profile non-conference resume controls its own destiny. One road defeat against a premier opponent does not diminish the overall strength of this roster. Writing off a legitimate title contender after one competitive loss ignores how the playoff selection committee evaluates quality opponents.