No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1) is certain to move up in the College Football Playoff rankings after a thrilling 49-35 victory over USC (6-6) on Saturday.
What that means is that Notre Dame, the same Fighting Irish squad that lost to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7, is headed to the College Football Playoff where it is almost guaranteed to host a first round home game.
That game, that will be played on December 20 or 21, will be like nothing we've ever seen at Notre Dame Stadium.
In watching Notre Dame's defense shock USC's offense with two late pick-sixes to seal the deal, Notre Dame and college football fans alike took to social media to celebrate the massive win. See some of the best below.
The Jeweled Shillelagh is staying home ☘️#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/g9EVAWbBi8
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024
Notre Dame is so dang physical.
— Drue Tranquill (@DTranquill) November 30, 2024
Congratulations to the Fighting Irish. Time to get ready for the playoffs.
— Joe Theismann (@Theismann7) December 1, 2024
Dear @NotreDame,
— Robby Toma (@rtoma9) December 1, 2024
Please do EVERYTHING in your power to make sure @Marcus_Freeman1 remains the @NDFootball HEAD COACH for many years!!!
Sincerely,
(Majority) of Former players, Alumni and FANS!!
To: @CoachBrianKelly
— Holtz's Heroes Foundation (@HoltzHeroes) December 1, 2024
From: ND Nation
️ ️ ️ ️ ️
Event: CFB Playoff
Date and Time: TBD
Location: Notre Dame Stadium
Bring the fam-uh-lee and don’t worry about writing a thank you note. It’s our treat.
☘️ pic.twitter.com/wpR7JlBekI
@NDFootball If we are all honest, we will say that after the NIU game, we were looking to have a "good" season! To see this team roll of 10 straight wins is a tribute to the boys and the coaches! Congrats to both, now let's go get it!!
— Tim Brown (@81TimBrown) December 1, 2024
If you're still judging Notre Dame in any way off the NIU loss from almost 3 months ago .. time to wake up. This team is really good. And may now get the No. 5 seed.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 1, 2024
Final: #NotreDame 49, USC 35. Irish will play in the first 12-team College Football Playoff. @insideNDsports @Rivals pic.twitter.com/bvXavW7T7l
— Tyler James (@TJamesND) December 1, 2024
Notre Dame will host a game and it’ll be 25 degrees and snowing
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 1, 2024
Love it
It's currently 22-degrees in South Bend, Indiana as I post this at 10:45 p.m. ET on Saturday night.
Dress warm. It’s going to be cold in South Bend the weekend of the 20-21st #NotreDame ☘️ pic.twitter.com/C71XN9nxch
— Always Irish ☘️ (@AlwaysIrishINC) December 1, 2024
Notre Dame’s revenge arc is a movie
— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) December 1, 2024
Marcus Freeman is 10-5 vs top-40 opponents (F+) at Notre Dame. Lincoln Riley is 7-12 vs top-40 opponents at USC
— Jamie Uyeyama (@jamieuyeyama) December 1, 2024
Since USC beat ND in LA in 2022, Freeman is 22-4. Riley is 14-13
I never in my life imagined Notre Dame would have DBs as good as Xavier Watts and Christmas Gray.
— Mason (@MasonPlummer_) December 1, 2024
LFG ☘️☘️
Notre Dame being tested was good today. We needed it and it was damn good seeing some fight! Team stepped up.
— Dougie Sant (@dougiesant) December 1, 2024
I have literally been waiting all season to post this pic.twitter.com/3BBVIn7jYw
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) December 1, 2024
Love Thee Notre Dame #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/qffXwL6XAa
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024
Jordan Clark is enjoying himself as a valued member of the College Football Playoff-bound Notre Dame Fighting Irish. pic.twitter.com/btHX2ZO0rc
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) December 1, 2024
Notre Dame just recorded two of its longest pick sixes in program history
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 1, 2024
They took place within two minutes of each other pic.twitter.com/yN5hXbcSNj
Riley Leonard passing yards to Notre Dame players: 155 (QB for Notre Dame)
— Luciano Antonini (@LucciAntonini) December 1, 2024
Jayden Maiava passing yards to Notre Dame players: 199 (QB for USC) pic.twitter.com/RticGBOY6b
Your Notre Dame Fighting Irish are going dancing, folks. pic.twitter.com/5UbDGJqLrx
— nolan (@nolangoND34) December 1, 2024
I picked USC and Notre Dame people are being straight up not nice about it
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) December 1, 2024
Notre Dame in the CFP.
— Pete Fiutak (@PeteFiutak) December 1, 2024
Like the Northern Illinois game never happened
Excited to see the Notre Dame playoff draw. All but locked up the best path with the 5 seed
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) December 1, 2024
Defense is legit, secondary is incredible even without Morrison
Scary team. Genuinely. https://t.co/MmtnIWV08l
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet got the smack talking leg up on former USC Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams!
Notre Dame - 49
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) December 1, 2024
USC - 35
Some fun in the sun for Caleb and Cole.
Caleb gets his jersey retired. The Irish move onto the college football playoff. pic.twitter.com/e7pUpI2awA
We LA #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/k9WChrB5rM
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024
IRISH WIN#GoIrish☘️ | @DIRECTV pic.twitter.com/fjYlzE7H7d
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024
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