Can Notre Dame or Clemson Still Make the Playoffs?

When the season began, not many people would have guessed that Notre Dame and Clemson would be a combined 1-4 on September 13^th. However, that is the reality of the situation as both teams try to dust themselves off in an attempt to save their seasons. But considering the high expectations both had, can either still make the playoffs? Here is a closer look at the both situations.

No. 24 Notre Dame (0-2)

After losing to No. 10 Miami and No. 16 Texas A&M by a combined four points, the Irish are in a very difficult position. But since they are Notre Dame, more than a few people still believe that they can maneuver their way back into playoff contention. Is that realistic though?

The Irish only have one game remaining against a ranked team, and that is on October 18^th against No. 25 USC (3-0). Notre Dame desperately needs the Trojans to be 6-0 when the two meet in South Bend. If this were to happen, that would mean that USC would have added wins against No. 9 Illinois (3-0) and No. 21 Michigan (2-1), which would likely catapult them into the Top 15. But the Irish need more than that considering the remainder of their schedule is weak. Wins against Boston College (2-1), Stanford (1-2), Purdue (2-1), Syracuse (2-1) and Pittsburgh (2-1) won’t move the needle.

On the bright side, North Carolina State and Navy have legitimate chances of being undefeated when they play Notre Dame. The Wolfpack should be 6-0 on October 11^th and the Midshipmen should be 8-0 on November 8^th, however, neither is likely to be ranked considering their weak schedules. The remaining wildcard is Arkansas, which almost did the Irish a big favor by beating Ole Miss on the road on Saturday. The Razorbacks showed potential but need to do more than that for it to help the Irish. After the two play on September 27^th, the Razorbacks still have games remaining against No. 15 Tennessee (2-1), No. 10 Texas A&M (3-0), No. 22 Auburn (3-0), No. 3 LSU (3-0), No. 8 Texas (3-0) and No. 23 Missouri (3-0). While it is unlikely that Arkansas can navigate this gauntlet successfully, that’s what Notre Dame needs to happen if they want to classify a victory over the Razorbacks as impressive. The remaining weak schedule will likely make the current hole too big to dig out of.

Chances to make playoff: 15%