Notre Dame’s CFP Odds After Miami Loss: Latest Bowl Game Forecast

Notre Dame sits with a 0-1 record after Sunday's loss at Miami and has the awkwardness of an early off week as it sits at home this Saturday. Next up for the Fighting Irish is a date with Texas A&M next Saturday night in South Bend, which will almost certainly be between a pair of top 20 teams.

We've gone over it at great length this week - what did Sunday night's loss at Miami mean for Notre Dame's College Football Playoff chances?

While our overwhelming view has been that no loss is a good thing, Notre Dame still has plenty of realistic expectations to make the CFP. That is, as long as it handles its business like it is supposed to.

That's been the focus here at Notre Dame On SI, but what do national college football reporters think of the Fighting Irish's chances of making the CFP? Below are the views of a variety of national reporters and prognosticators regarding Notre Dame's playoff chances.

Athlon Sports Bowl Projection:

Notre Dame makes CFP as No. 9 seed and travels to No. 8 Clemson in the first round.

CBS Sports Bowl Projection:

Notre Dame makes the CFP as the No. 5 seed and hosts No. 12 Tulane in the first round.

College Football News Bowl Projection:

Great minds think alike? Pete Fiutak of College Football News also has Notre Dame making the CFP as the No. 5 seed and hosts No. 12 Tulane in a first-round game.

ESPN (Bonagura) Bowl Projection:

Bonagura of ESPN is the only person we found this week who sees the Miami loss being detrimental to the Fighting Irish, as he sends them to the Pop-Tarts Bowl to take on BYU. To start the year with national championship expectations, only to end up in Orlando playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl would be an epic disappointment.

ESPN (Schlabach) Bowl Projection:

Notre Dame makes the College Football Playoff as the No. 9 seed and earns a trip to No. 8 Texas in the first round.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway:

As I said right after the game, Notre Dame's loss against Miami isn't going to be what potentially keeps it from the College Football Playoff, Instead, it's the improvements that potentially don't happen.

Does Notre Dame sure up the defensive front and create pressure? Or does the pass rush continue to look like it did at Miami?

Does Notre Dame's offensive line take over and establish a run game, or does it continue to get railroaded like it did at Miami?

The answer to those questions reveals the answer to whether or not Notre Dame will ultimately make the College Football Playoff, because if they're not, there are almost certainly another two losses in all likelihood on the remaining schedule.