Notre Dame Football: Playoff chances very much alive after win over Stanford

1. This could be the year for the Irish

It seems as if this is said at some point in every Notre Dame season, but some statements have more validity than others. In this case, the schedule looks clearer than ever for an Irish playoff run. Five weeks into the season, Notre Dame is looking better than they have in a while with Book under center.

It’s about that time of year when injuries start rolling around, with Khalid Kareem, Alex Bars, Tony Jones Jr., and Miles Boykin all finding themselves shaken up at one point or another against the Cardinal. The Irish have depth all over, but Bars’ injury may be of the greatest concern. Regardless, the Irish will have to be as resilient as any other contender down the stretch.

In regard to the specifics of Notre Dame’s schedule, the Irish won’t face another top 25 team should their opponents maintain their respective rankings. Heading into this game, it was evident that this was an absolute must-win for the Irish. While Stanford can still play catch up, the Irish likely won’t have enough competition on their slate to battle back into the playoff picture.

However, the Irish will more than likely control their own destiny from here on. A trip to the College Football Playoff may require an undefeated season from the Irish, but the Irish should now be favorites in the rest of their games. Now it’s up to Kelly and his coaching staff to find a way to get Notre Dame to a place they haven’t been since 2012.