Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua stated that the Fighting Irish signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last spring that if they finish in the top 12 in the future, they would earn a CFP berth, per Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports and On3.
The MOU for Notre Dame and the CFP kicks in next season
If Miami and Notre Dame are in the same situation again in 2026, the 11th-ranked Fighting Irish would pass the 10th-ranked Hurricanes to earn a College Football Playoff berth. Notre Dame turned down a berth in the Pop-Tarts Bowl to play 12th-ranked BYU, which also felt that it was unfairly left out of the CFP.