Notre Dame Football: 5 Most Likely Bowl Scenarios for the Irish

One of the many reasons Notre Dame decided to join the ACC was for access to the conference's postseason bowl games. With the Irish limping back to South Bend after an embarrassing defeat at the hands of USC, we now get to see Jack Swarbrick's work get put into action.

Notre Dame finished its regular season on a four-game losing streak, stumbling into bowl season with a 7-5 record. With lofty aspirations for this team now a distant memory, the Irish now enter a hazy bowl outlook that still needs quite a bit to shake out. 

Just where might Notre Dame end up for the holidays? Pick a name out of a hat. Literally. 

According to a report in the News & Observer, the grouping of teams vying for the ACC's allotment of games has just about the entire conference waiting to see what happens this weekend, as the College Football Playoff finally sorts itself out on the field.

If Florida State beats Georgia Tech, its inclusion in the playoff seems secure. If that happens, it likely means Georgia Tech will end up in the Orange Bowl. With the Citrus Bowl and Russell Athletic Bowl likely choosing between nine-win Clemson, Louisville or Duke, from there it'll get interesting. 

Here's more from the News & Observer's report:

"

The bowl fates of N.C. State and Duke could be determined by a drawing.

The source of confusion for the Wolfpack and Blue Devils? Notre Dame.

Under Notre Dame’s complex agreement with the ACC, either Triangle school could get jumped in the order by the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame’s inclusion also could send one ACC team, possibly North Carolina, outside the conference’s bowl lineup to find a postseason home.

"

As Brian Kelly's battered and bruised team waits to see where it ends up, let's look at a few of the likely scenarios for Notre Dame this postseason.

Belk Bowl

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What: Belk Bowl

When: December 30

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

A trip to Charlotte could make a ton of sense for Notre Dame. The Irish have recruited the Carolinas well, and they certainly wouldn't mind having until December 30 to play. They'd also likely be an attractive team for a bowl that now has an affiliation with the SEC as well. 

That being said, the allure of having nine-win Duke play just a two-hour drive away could be a draw for bowl officials. The same could be said for North Carolina State, another in-state option. But a matchup with an SEC team would make for a high-profile game, certainly challenging the Irish as Kelly plays for an elusive eighth victory.

Music City Bowl

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What: Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

When: December 30

Where: LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

Another option for Notre Dame is Nashville. And if the bowl committee is looking for a juicy matchup, it couldn't do much better than pairing Notre Dame with Tennessee, two traditional powers that would fill up Nashville. The Volunteers may only be 6-6, but their schedule stacks up with the best in football, with all six of their losses coming against ranked opponents. 

The battle between the two head coaches would be fun to watch as well. Butch Jones has followed in Brian Kelly's footsteps from Central Michigan to Cincinnati, taking over the program right after Kelly left. In his second season in Knoxville, Jones has made incremental progress, but he has a young team on the rise. 

(Plus even the most jaded Notre Dame fan could find room in his heart for Nashville on New Year's.)

TaxSlayer Bowl

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What: TaxSlayer Bowl

When: January 2

Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

The Big Ten and ACC share one side of this bowl game, taking on an SEC opponent on the other side of the bracket. This projection could shift after this weekend, especially with Florida State, Alabama and Ohio State still with conference title games to play. 

If no big upsets take place this weekend, there's a chance that Les Miles' LSU program will head to Jacksonville. Notre Dame fans remember the last time these two programs met in the postseason—JaMarcus Russell and the Tigers steamrolled the Irish in the Sugar Bowl after the 2006 season. 

A January 2 date would give Notre Dame an opportunity to get 15 practices in, a bonus considering all the youth on the roster. But with both Big Ten and ACC teams competing for this spot, it might be a long shot for the Irish to end up in Jacksonville.

Sun Bowl

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What: Hyundai Sun Bowl

When: December 27

Where: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas

Notre Dame could return to the site of its dominant victory over Miami following the 2010 season. The victory capped off Brian Kelly's first season in style, with the Irish jumping on a Hurricanes team playing for an interim head coach with Al Golden watching from the press box. 

A return to El Paso likely doesn't have much luster, but the opportunity to play against another Pac-12 team could add some intrigue. A deep conference could match up the Irish with Utah, playing against Kyle Whittingham's team that beat USC to get to 6-1, but lost three of five to close the season. 

Phil Steele projects the Irish and Utes to play here.

Pinstripe Bowl

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What: New Era Pinstripe Bowl

When: December 27

Where: Yankee Stadium, New York

Notre Dame returning to the Big Apple wouldn't be ideal. That's not to say that the Yankees wouldn't welcome them back. After playing the first football game in new Yankee Stadium, baseball's most popular (and polarizing) ball club would be happy to have any bowl-eligible Notre Dame squad, even one that limps in. 

A repeat in a mid-level bowl game is hardly advantageous for any program. But if there's a potential to pair a program like Penn State with Notre Dame, then a repeat in the Bronx wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

Watching Brian Kelly take on James Franklin—especially after the Irish have flipped recruits Brandon Wimbush and Josh Barajas this recruiting cycle—would make for a few compelling storylines. Not to mention the fact that the Irish could have a much better chance to beat a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten opponent.   

Last year's game was played in miserably cold weather on an even worse playing surface. The early playing date also limits practice opportunities as well. But beggars can't be choosers, and New York oftentimes serves as the Irish's home away from home.