Notre Dame’s CFP Title Chances Improve from +5000 to +3300 After Irish Join ACC for 2020 Season
- Notre Dame will play in the ACC during the 2020 college football season
- They will play 10 conference games and be eligible to compete for the ACC championship
- The odds of the Fighting Irish winning the national championship have improved; is that warranted?
Notre Dame is a proud member of the ACC, for now.
The Fighting Irish will play a 10-game conference schedule (plus one non-conference game) and be eligible to compete in the ACC title game. The conference is doing away with its usual two-division format for this season only. The title game will be contested by the top two teams based on winning percentage in their 10 conference games.
The news saw Notre Dame move up the National Championship odds.
2021 CFP National Championship Odds
| Team | Odds at DraftKings |
|---|---|
| Clemson | +200 |
| Ohio State | +250 |
| Alabama | +350 |
| Georgia | +1200 |
| Florida | +2000 |
| LSU | +2000 |
| Notre Dame | +3300 |
| Oklahoma | +3300 |
| Texas A&M | +4000 |
| Auburn | +5000 |
| Oregon | +5000 |
| Penn State | +5000 |
| Texas | +5000 |
| Michigan | +8000 |
| USC | +8000 |
| Wisconsin | +8000 |
Odds as of July 30th.
Notre Dame’s new schedule means games against Wisconsin, USC, and Stanford will no longer take place. But this is a great alternative for the program. Competing against Clemson and having the opportunity to win a conference championship will be both unique and important if the Irish are to contend for a national title. Here’s a further breakdown why they could all of a sudden be considered a great value bet.
The 2020 Football Schedule Model has been announced.
More info: https://t.co/D6iCbHIY1x pic.twitter.com/dfhTqr4YTd
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) July 29, 2020
Clear Path to the College Football Playoff
The Fighting Irish all of a sudden have a really clear direction for this college football season. While the games they lost would have been entertaining to watch, seeing them compete in the ACC and possibly even for a conference championship is much better. Winning a game against the Badgers or Trojans would not have necessarily vaulted them into consideration for the College Football Playoff. But now, if they beat Clemson at home, they will most certainly be on the right track.
— Notre Dame Football PR Team (@NDFootballPR) July 30, 2020
The schedule offers a perfect balance of opportunity and well, to be frank, cupcakes. It’s still the same conference that Clemson manages to stroll right on through every single year. So while the buzz will be there, the chances of slipping up may not be that high. It really comes down to that monster date with the Tigers. If Notre Dame can pull an upset in that one, it will be game on.
Bet the Irish Before the Odds Move Again
One common theme you’ll hear about all college football season will be lost revenue. How will cancelled games and smaller crowds affect not only this sport but so many others that rely on that money? I believe the College Football Playoff committee genuinely attempts to pick the best four teams but, somewhere deep down, there is an allegiance to big-time programs and few, if any, are bigger than Notre Dame.
QB @IanBook_12 has been named to the Manning Award Watch List. 🏆
📰 https://t.co/bKIvytzdWx#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/7M9de4ShS8
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) July 30, 2020
Quarterback Ian Book is a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate and safety Kyle Hamilton is one of the best young defensive players in football. The Irish have talent, should be favorites in nine of their ten games, and could also add a conference title to their resume.
Should they do that, there’s no chance they’d be left out of the final four and as we’ve seen in years past all you need is a seat at the table to have a real shot at winning it all.
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
