Notre Dame Football: Bowl projections for the Fighting Irish

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish aren’t going to the college football playoff this season. Hell — they’re not even going to one of the other New Year’s Six bowl games. I’m sorry if that is breaking news for you, but it helps to say it out loud a few times to move forward.

Speaking of moving forward...

Notre Dame is going to A bowl game. Usually I start tracking bowl projections after six games into the season, but this year I decided to hold off for a few weeks for one reason or another. So let’s take a look at where a handful of outlets have the Irish penciled in to play.

• FOX Sports — ReliaQuest Bowl vs LSU Tigers — January 1
• USA Today — ReliaQuest Bowl vs Tennessee Volunteers — January 1
• Athlon — ReliaQuest Bowl vs LSU Tigers — January 1
• CBS Sports — Pop Tarts Bowl vs Oklahoma State Cowboys — December 28
• ESPN Schlabach — ReliaQuest Bowl vs LSU Tigers — January 1
• ESPN Bonagura — Gator Bowl vs LSU Tigers — December 29
• Sporting News — ReliaQuest Bowl vs LSU Tigers — January 1

Obviously the most common projection is also the one that has the most — well something — because of the Brian Kelly saga. To be honest, it would be one of just a handful of games that Irish fans would even be a little excited for after what has been a disappointing season to date.

Personally, I like the thought of playing Tennessee more as the Vols are a program that I wish Notre Dame would have on the schedule more often. I’m not sure of the pecking order exactly, but Tennessee will probably have its hands full this weekend against the Missouri Tigers. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Tennessee is just a 1.5 point favorite over Missouri in Columbia — but I’m still not entirely sure what the game result will mean to the bowl picture.

I guess we will know a lot more come Sunday.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.