Miami in surprising situation vs. Notre Dame after first CFP rankings

We’re three days away from a showdown between Miami and Notre Dame.

This year’s matchup will take place in South Bend and will see College GameDay descend on Notre Dame’s campus before kickoff in the evening. It will be a rematch of last year’s game, which Miami won 27-24 in Miami.

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That win was pivotal for Miami, as it got the program into the College Football Playoff at the end of the season, while Notre Dame barely missed out.

Miami comes into this year’s game No. 1 in the latest CFP rankings, while Notre Dame is No. 11. Miami is also a 5.5-point underdog going into the game, and according to Ben Fawkes of Yahoo Sports, this is the first time that the No. 1 team in the CFP is an underdog against a team outside of the CFP Top 10.

Miami (FL) — No. 1 in the College Football Playoff ranking — is a 5.5-point underdog against No. 11 Notre Dame on Saturday.

➡️Since the CFP started in 2014, this appears to be the first time the No. 1 team is an underdog against a team ranked outside the CFP Top 10

— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) November 4, 2026

It’s crazy to think about, but it shows how confident the sportsbooks are in Notre Dame, especially since the game is in South Bend.

This is basically a must-win for Notre Dame since it doesn’t play any other top teams to end the season. The program also doesn’t have a signature win yet. If it can get one here, it has a good chance of being in the CFP once the regular season ends.

Miami has a decent cushion with an 8-0 record, but it’s still a game it very much wants to win for obvious reasons.

Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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