Notre Dame is off this week, enjoying a well-deserved break to rest, recharge, and prepare for the four-game November stretch that will decide the program’s playoff fate.

The Irish have won six straight games, all but one by more than 17 points, and they’re playing their best ball right now. Plus, they’ll be favored in each of the remaining four regular season games.

Still, Marcus Freeman and the staff have to maximize this time off to avoid a hiccup that leaves the CFP decision in the hands of a committee.

The Irish have no game in Week 10. Where will their last four opponents be on Saturday?

The Seminoles lost to Miami last week to officially be eliminated from bowl contention. The collapse of this program has been stunning, considering where it was a year ago.

The Noles have all kinds of problems as they prepare to host North Carolina. The most glaring one is an offense that’s failed to reach 17 points in seven straight games. Meanwhile, the Heels are developing a potent attack around QB Jacolby Criswell, RB Omarion Hampton, and WR J.J. Jones.

The Cavaliers, like the Irish, are off this week, and boy do they need a break. UVA looked like one of the feel-good stories of the ACC, but they didn’t win a game in October to fall back to 4-4.

Topping Tony Elliott’s agenda will be to fix a defense that allowed 89 points in back-to-back losses to Clemson and Carolina.

The Black Knights return to action after resting last weekend and, perhaps, enjoying Navy’s blowout loss to Notre Dame.

Army hosts Air Force in its first leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. The Falcons are 0-6 against FBS opponents, but this is a throw-out-the-record game, so the Knights must maintain their focus.

USC faces Washington, a familiar foe from the old Pac-12 days. The Huskies have won 18 straight games in Seattle, so this is not the typical matchup between 4-4 teams.

The Trojans are looking to build on last Friday’s rout of Rutgers in which QB Miller Moss and RB Woody Marks were the stars. This is big game for both schools’ bowl hopes, especially Washington which still has Oregon and Penn State left on the schedule.

How Notre Dame Football Can Improve During the Critical November Stretch