Notre Dame Has a Target on Its Back RIGHT NOW and College Football Is Still Not Ready

Alright, listen up, because June is usually for, like, *thinking* about football, not getting your blood pressure up. But hold up, because our guy Brad Crawford, the CBS Sports bowl expert, just dropped his "10 College Football Playoff guarantees for 2026," and holy smokes, it's already got me buzzing. Forget just getting into the expanded playoff, now it's all about matchups, seeding, and that November momentum. And the biggest takeaway? Notre Dame is already playing the villain, and trust me, everyone's already gearing up to hate them.

The Fighting Irish Are Here to Be Hated, Deal With It

Seriously, the disdain for Notre Dame this season is gonna flow like espresso on a Monday morning, and it's not because they're flawed. Nope, quite the opposite, actually! The Fighting Irish are locked and loaded as a national championship contender, with a roster that's top-tier, a path to the playoff that looks favorable, and enough preseason hype to make any other team jealous. You know how it is: everyone loves an underdog, but what they really love is rooting against the blue bloods. That's Notre Dame's vibe right now. And let's be real about that "independence factor." While all the power-conference teams are beating each other up with their brutal nine-game league schedules, Notre Dame just... operates outside of all that. Fans in the SEC, Big Ten, and everywhere else are gonna be screaming that the Irish are getting a free pass, still landing premium playoff consideration without the same grind. But here's t

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he kicker: with the new CFP rules, it'll probably take *at least* two losses, maybe even three, to keep them out of the final top 12, especially after last season's highly publicized omission. These guys aren't just making major bowls anymore. They're consistent playoff participants with a roster that can take down anyone. When you're winning double-digit games every year and recruiting at an elite level, people stop feeling sorry for you and just start rooting for your downfall. It's happening, folks.

The ACC Isn't Just Making Up the Numbers

Okay, so while everyone's focused on hating Notre Dame, don't sleep on the ACC. Miami is looking like the clear frontrunner for that league, no doubt about it. But the real surprise? SMU and Louisville are absolutely poised to crash the playoff party. SMU, in particular, has got some serious quarterback stability with multi-year starter Kevin Jennings, and the roster around him looks good enough to snag double-digit wins if they can navigate the league's upper-middle class. That's a big if, but it's totally possible. And hey, while we're talking big names, keep an eye on Keelon Russell and Malachi Toney. They're on the radar as Heisman dark horses, and you know how much we love a long shot. It's only June 28th, but these college football guarantees are already heating up the conversation. Brad Crawford might be bold putting these out there so early, but based on roster depth, trends, QB leadership, and those ever-important schedules, these are the teams to watch. We'll be keeping a close eye on if these early predictions hold true as we get closer to kickoff.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.