Notre Dame football: Other games to keep an eye on in 2021 Week 13
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team takes on Stanford on Saturday night, but here are other games Irish fans should keep an eye on in Week 13.
There is one game left in the 2021 regular season for the Notre Dame football team, a road trip to California to take on the Stanford Cardinal. While that is a must-win if they hope to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive, there are still other games that fans of the Irish should be keeping an eye on this weekend.
Here, we look at two other games on the Week 13 slate to keep an eye on if you are a Notre Dame football fan.
Alabama vs Auburn
The Iron Bowl will kick off at 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, and for Alabama, this is a must-win game against a rival opponent on the road. Auburn may not be in the same class as the Crimson Tide this season, but we have seen plenty of upsets in this rivalry before, so you can expect some fireworks inside Jordan-Hare Stadium in this one.
Alabama needs a win to stay alive in the CFP race, though a loss in the SEC title game to Georgia would likely eliminate them as well. If the Tigers are somehow able to get this win on Saturday afternoon, the Irish’s chance of making the playoff grows immensely.
Michigan vs Ohio State
In the Big Noon kickoff game inside the Big House, it will be a top-5 matchup between the Michigan Wolverines, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Wolverines have one loss on their record, a road game against Michigan State, while Ohio State lost to Oregon earlier in the season.
Under Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines have struggled mightily against the Buckeyes, but they are home and have played some outstanding football this season. With a loss, they are likely out of the CFP race, and with two losses, it may be hard for the Buckeyes to sneak back in as well.
The truth is, that while unlikely, if Auburn can beat Alabama, and the Buckeyes beat Michigan, the Irish could certainly be in the top-4 when the next CFP rankings are released on Tuesday. It has been an incredibly entertaining season for the 2021 Notre Dame football team, and this Saturday could bring more clarity to their postseason hopes.