Does Marcus Freeman have a team that can beat the undefeated No. 18 Army? With a 9-1 record after their last 35-14 victory over Virginia, Notre Dame ranks No. 6 on the AP Poll. They’re also a favorite to make it to the College Football Playoffs ranking. However, a grim scenario could unfold for the Big 12 programs if the Fighting Irish were to lose to the Black Knights on November 24. 

RJ Young came up with a concerning scenario for Big 12 teams this week in a new YouTube episode on The Number One College Football Show on November 19. He believes that the CFP hopes of Big 12 teams like Colorado, BYU, and Arizona State could depend on Notre Dame’s victory. He said, “There’s also this part where Army is undefeated and Army is the real fly in the ointment because ain’t nobody getting cured from an Army victory against Notre Dame.”

Young continued, “If Army is able to get a top 10 win and that’s what it will be against Notre Dame… really makes it difficult for them to put a second Big 12 team in with Notre Dame getting to 10.” As of CFP’s rankings on November 18, BYU is the only Big 12 team currently in the mix for a playoff appearance. The Fighting Irish trails at No. 8 as an independent program. 

Now this would spell trouble for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffs, who are No. 16 in the AP Poll with a strong chance to be the Big 12 champions. The Buffs are leading the pact with an 8-2 record, with two more conference games scheduled against the Kansas Jayhawks and Oklahoma State, both of which are at the bottom of the Big 12. But even if they become the conference champions, a playoff spot could be snubbed if the Army manages to add another win to their unblemished 9-0 record. Can the Black Knights survive the turmoil despite entering as underdogs?

Can Army deliver an upset to Notre Dame?

No one saw it coming for the Army Black Knights, who fell 6-6 last season. After crushing North Texas 14-3 on Saturday, they are one of the three remaining undefeated teams in Week 13 of the 2024 season. They rank last nationally in passing and first in rushing while ranking 5th in FBS in scoring margin per game. But is that enough for them to beat Marcus Freeman’s squad?

Notre Dame enters the upcoming game as a 14.5-point favorite over Army. They’re 11th and 12th in the nation in scoring and rushing, respectively. If they’re able to hand the Black Knights their first defeat of the season, they’ll sink down the playoff picture while paving the way for other teams like the Colorado Buffaloes, who are in with a great chance to enter the big game.