Notre Dame’s Opponents: Could a third Playoff contender be emerging on the Irish schedule?

This space’s preseason predictions unequivocally argued two Notre Dame opponents would make the College Football Playoff in 2022, and increasingly the only worry to that prediction may be that more than two do.

Ohio State, Clemson and USC are all gaining steam. The Trojans still have plenty of Pac-12 worries to overcome, namely at Utah in two weeks and at UCLA in the season’s penultimate game, but they look more and more like a Playoff contender.

The key word there is “contender.” USC remains well below the Buckeyes and Tigers, but it may still jeopardize that preseason prediction.

No. 16 BYU (4-1): The Cougars beat Utah State, 38-26, a week ago. But let’s dig a bit deeper and acknowledge that one of the Aggies’ scores came on a possession that lost yardage, and another six points came via a garbage-time touchdown. A 38-20 score would be more reflective of the game, if largely because BYU was +3 on turnovers.

The Cougars now obviously face Notre Dame in Las Vegas (7:30 ET; NBC) as 3.5-point underdogs, per PointsBet early on Thursday morning. The combined points total Over/Under of 51.0 suggests a 27-24 result.

The Irish have not given up 24 offensive points in competitive time yet this season, since North Carolina’s final two touchdowns came when trailing by four possessions.

Manti Te'o will join the @NDonNBC halftime and postgame shows this weekend as #NotreDame faces No. 16 BYU in Las Vegas.Irish remain 3.5-point favorites against the Cougars.

— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) October 5, 2022

Stanford (1-3): The Cardinal lost 45-27 at Oregon. Without running back EJ Smith (out for the season), Stanford averaged just 3.7 yards on 34 carries. It was outgained 515 yards to 332. Quarterback Tanner McKee went 19-of-33 for 166