That an unbeaten Notre Dame team would reach the College Football Playoff is not up for debate — not given the Fighting Irish's regular-season schedule, which, though not quite as loaded as in the recent past, remains loaded with prime-time opportunities for national exposure.
Whether Notre Dame can get into the Playoff with one loss, on the other hand, may hinge on factors largely outside the program's control.
Begin with what the Irish can control, however. Matchups with Georgia Tech and Clemson present the opportunity to burnish their cause at the expense of the Atlantic Coast Conference; if Clemson goes on to win the ACC, for example, the selection committee would have to give heavy consideration to Notre Dame's head-to-head advantage.