Notre Dame has played really strong football throughout the middle part of its schedule. The Irish enter November on a six-game winning streak and with Marcus Freeman sporting his best record at this point in any season as the head man for the Irish at 7-1. The Irish have been and are trending up.

Notre Dame by 26 1/2. Series record: Florida State leads 6-5. The 10th-ranked Fighting Irish also find themselves No. 10 in the first CFP rankings, giving them a potential lane to the expanded 12-team playoff field.

Notre Dame 's defense has been one of the best in college football this season, if not the best. The group allows 12.1 points per game, 156.1 passing yards per game, and rank No. 8 in the country in total defense. Florida State ranks in the bottom half of college football in most major offense stats.