Here’s what Notre Dame fans should root for today

Notre Dame needs to move up in the College Football Playoff rankings to potentially improve their bowl situation.

Notre Dame fans won’t just be rooting for the Irish today. They’ll also need to root for a certain series of outcomes in order to move up in the College Football Playoff rankings, with the hope of improving the bowl situation for the Irish.

Here are the key games around the country and the outcome Notre Dame fans should root for.

Ohio State vs. Michigan

We need Michigan to lose in order to give them a third loss, which in all likelihood drops them below the Irish as long as Notre Dame wins today. Ohio State would stay put in the rankings.

Wisconsin vs. Minnesota

Irish fans should root for Minnesota to win. Same situation as Michigan. A Wisconsin loss gives them three and drops them below Notre Dame. Then, next week, a blowout loss to Ohio State could drop Minnesota below the Irish.

Alabama vs. Auburn

We need to root for Bama here. There’s no way a four-loss Auburn stays ranked above a 2-loss Notre Dame team.

Colorado vs. Utah

This is a longshot, but we need Colorado to pull off the upset. This has been mentioned as a sleep game to watch all week by several networks and analysts.

Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State

We’re rooting for Oklahoma State today. The Sooners are a lock to play in the Big 12 title game. Better for Notre Dame that they are a two-loss team and hand Baylor a second loss in that game.

None of this guarantees anything in terms of Notre Dames bowl hopes. That said, we need as many of these outcomes to come to fruition in order to keep the New Year’s Six hopes alive for the Irish this bowl season.