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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Notre Dame landed at No. 11 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, just ahead of a massive showdown with the Miami Hurricanes.
With that matchup looming, former Fighting Irish quarterback Brady Quinn, now a college football analyst, offered a sobering assessment of Marcus Freeman's squad. Quinn believes that Notre Dame has limited room to suffer losses for the remainder of their schedule, and the Hurricanes present a challenging opponent.
"I think if they lose, they're out," Quinn said while on "Wake Up Barstool," also adding, "If you want to get in the College Playoff, you can't have more than one loss, at least with the current schedule that you have."
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Quinn referenced CFP committee chair Hunter Yurachek's assessment that Notre Dame had played just two teams with winning records, winning one of those games and losing the other. They defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 37-26 on Oct. 3, then lost 29-24 to the BYU Cougars two weeks later.
More news: CFP Committee Chair Under Fire for Alabama’s Controversial Ranking
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Along with that, Quinn gave the edge to Miami in the upcoming matchup, despite it being a home game for Notre Dame. Quinn said the Hurricanes have "arguably the best player in the country" in wide receiver Malachi Toney.
He also praised quarterback Darian Mensah, who recently moved into the favorite spot for the Heisman Trophy. Quinn didn't hesitate to mention Miami having "defensive issues," but maintained his position that the Hurricanes have the advantage.
The former Fighting Irish quarterback mentioned that Notre Dame's offense has struggled to distance itself from teams, pointing to a one-point halftime lead against Navy last weekend and the team's road loss to BYU.
"I think they're gonna be forced to have to be able to keep up with this Miami offense," Quinn predicted, indicating that it's been "feast or famine" with the passing game for Notre Dame.
"They have the home field advantage ... but it's gonna be a tough one, I think, for the Irish," he also said.
This weekend's clash gives the Fighting Irish a chance to avenge their 27-24 loss to the Hurricanes last year, which impacted the rest of their season.
Notre Dame missed the CFP field, and it became a major talking point. The school declined any bowl game invites after the perceived snub. Miami made the CFP and ended up competing in the National Championship Game.
Based on Quinn's remarks, a loss to Miami could mean a second straight season of Notre Dame missing the playoffs, which could spotlight their need to schedule more opponents that could boost their resume each season.
After the Miami matchup, Notre Dame has games against the ACC's Boston College, SMU, and Syracuse, none of whom are considered serious threats, but that might also be questionable based on how North Carolina held their own against the Fighting Irish.
No. 11 Notre Dame hosts No. 1 Miami at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 7.
More news: Ohio State Fans Have the Same Complaint About Buckeyes’ CFP Ranking
For more about the Miami Hurricanes and NCAA football, visit Newsweek Sports.
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