Making the case for each CFP semifinal team to win the national championship

The College Football Playoff is back to a familiar spot: four teams with two spots in the national championship on the line.

Notre Dame will face Penn State on Jan. 9 in the Orange Bowl. The Fighting Irish put together a dominant defensive performance in their 23-10 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, while the Nittany Lions held Ashton Jeanty in check en route to defeating Boise State, 31-14, in the Fiesta Bowl.

In the other CFP semifinal matchup, Ohio State will take on Texas on Jan. 10 in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes cruised past Oregon, 41-21, in the Rose Bowl, while the Longhorns needed double overtime to get past a scrappy Arizona State team in the Peach Bowl, 39-31.

FOX Sports college football writers Laken Litman, RJ Young and Michael Cohen are here to preview the CFP semifinal round and make the case for why each remaining team can win a national championship.

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (13-1)

Why the Fighting Irish will win the national title: The only team to beat the Fighting Irish this season is Mid-American Conference and Group of 5 member Northern Illinois, and the Huskies performed that feat at Notre Dame Stadium. But how?

The Huskies outgained Notre Dame in passing yards (198 to 163), rushing yards (190 to 123), time of possession (34:38 to 25:22) and third-down opportunities (16 to 9), while also forcing two turnovers and committing none themselves, and sacking quarterback Riley Leonard twice and allowing zero sacks.

Seemingly, the only way the Huskies could win against a top-five opponent like Notre Dame is perhaps the only way the Fighting Irish can lose in the CFP this season. The Fighting Irish held Indiana to 63 rushing yards on 27 carries in their 27-17 win over the Hoosiers in the first