Paul Finebaum explains why Notre Dame is positioned to go deep in the College Football Playoff

Except undefeated and number 1 in the rankings Oregon (12-0), no team is hotter than Notre Dame Start of the 2024 postseason.

Winners of 10 in a row since a loss in Week 2 Northern IllinoisThe fifth-ranked Fighting Irish (11-1) are firing on all cylinders after a 49-35 win to end the regular season Southern California on Saturday.

That run — including averaging 47.2 points per game over the last five games — is thanks to the ESPN analyst and SEC Network host Paul Finebaum is “Paul-In” about Notre Dame, which advances to 2024 College Football Playoffs.

“The loss to Northern Illinois seemed like a couple of years ago, but it was actually 13 weeks ago and they’ve come back amazingly well,” Finebaum said Sunday morning on ESPN Sports center. “I’m really impressed with what Marcus Freeman has done. Yesterday they played a close game and then prevailed against Southern Cal. I think Notre Dame still has a big lead in the College Football Playoff.”

The Irish are currently ranked No. 5 in the current CFP Top 25 poll, but should get a boost when the second-to-last ranking is announced on Tuesday following Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan in Saturday’s The Game, which is not on the ranking list, lost.

Of course, only the seed should be affected, as Notre Dame is guaranteed an overall playoff bid with a loss due to its place in the top 12. Depending on the results of championship weekend, the Irish could finish anywhere between Nos. 5 and 7 and host a first-round game.

Dabo Swinney calls CFP picks, fires shots at Notre Dame

Clemson Head coach Dabo Swinney made his issues with the current College Football Playoff selection process known during a recent appearance on the Gramlich and Mac Lain podcast earlier this week.

“It’s the SEC-Big Ten Invitational and Notre Dame sets its own rules. Always. We’ve been on the ROY team forever. We did,” Swinney said. “It was SEC, Big Ten, Notre Dame and the rest of y’all. It’s been that way my entire time here at Clemson. But guess what, look at our records compared to everyone else’s. Check our records.”

Beat the Tigers Alabama 2016 and 2018 to win the national championship and are 3-1 against Ohio State under Swinney. Additionally, as Clemson’s coach, Swinney has a 4-2 record against Notre Dame.

Clemson may not always get the respect that Dabo Swinney deserves for his program, but the Tigers have consistently won at a high level. From 2015 to 2020, Clemson reached the College Football Playoff all six years, won two national titles and played for two more.