If ND gets into the NY6 then by far the most likely opponent is a G5 team. OTOH, if they miss the NY6 there is a good chance they end up in the Gator Bowl against Alabama because Tennessee, UGA, and LSU might all be headed to NY6 games.
Thought I read that, b/c the way the CFP falls this year, Cotton Bowl vs. the G5 is basically the only NY6 option for us.
Usually there are at-large spots in the Peach and Fiesta but they’re the CFP games.
Rose and Sugar have conference tie-ins.
Orange has an at-large but wouldn’t want to set up a rematch between us and the ACC champ.
So that leaves one slot in the Cotton. And we’d have to be ranked higher than various teams currently ahead of us.
Seems unlikely. It’s too bad b/c even this year we should beat, I dunno, Tulane, even without Mayer. But far more likely we land in a second-tier bowl.