College Football Playoff 2019: 16-team bracket simulation

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 07: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers talks with Joe Burrow #9 in the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs during the SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 07, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 07: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young (2) points to the Ohio State fans during the Big 10 Championship game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes on December 7, 2019, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Ohio State vs. 15 Notre Dame

Heading to the Camping World Bowl in the actual postseason, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished the regular season at 10-2. Given that they remain an independent program, it’s near impossible for Brian Kelly’s team to make the College Football Playoff in its current format unless they are able to go undefeated, which they did in the 2018 regular season. That was decidedly not the case for the Irish this season, though.

Notre Dame was never thoroughly embarrassed this season, outside of a strange, sloppy game in Ann Arbor where Michigan topped them 45-14. They acquitted themselves well against Georgia in a road game while beating quality opponents such as Virginia, USC, Virginia Tech and Navy. However, they also showed that they are a definitive tier below the elite-level competition.

Putting the Irish up against the Ohio State Buckeyes means that Notre Dame would be facing an elite team on both sides of the ball. The pressure that Chase Young and the Buckeyes defensive line can put on Ian Book coupled with the speed that Justin Fields and the OSU offense can test the Fighting Irish defense with just seems like a bad recipe for Kelly’s club.

In the simplest of terms, Notre Dame just doesn’t have the speed or balance on both sides of the ball to hang with what Ohio State is capable of doing. While they may be able to put up some points with their talented passing attack, the Buckeyes should be able to do whatever they want and come up with enough stops in this matchup to comfortably advance to the quarterfinals.

Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes