Notre Dame (8-2) will look to win its ninth straight game and build on its playoff resume when it takes on Syracuse (3-7) this weekend. Notre Dame is currently ranked as the No. 9 team in the playoff rankings, and while the Irish are in a great position they don't have a spot locked down just yet. Notre Dame would also like to host a playoff game, which means they'll need to keep moving up as well.

Below are the games that Notre Dame fans should pay attention to - and who to root for - that will help the Irish not only lock in a playoff spot, but move up and host.

RESUME BUILDERS

FLORIDA STATE (5-5) at NC STATE (5-5)

Location: Carter-Finley Stadium
Date: Friday - November 21
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Network: ESPN
Line: Florida State -5.5, O/U: 59.5

Who To Root For: NC State

This game is about building up Notre Dame's resume while also hurting Alabama's. Right now the victory over NC State doesn't count as a quality win because their loss to Miami dropped them to 5-5. If NC State beats Florida State and North Carolina in the final two weeks that will be a quality win. Beating Florida State also hurts Alabama's resume by giving the Tide a 14-point loss to a team with a losing record. If the Seminoles lose to the Wolfpack and next week at Florida it would mean the Tide lost by two touchdowns to a 5-7 team.

#15 USC (8-2) at #7 OREGON (9-1)

Location: Autzen Stadium (Eugene, Ore.)
Date: Saturday - November 22
Time: 3:30 PM ET
Network: CBS
Line: Oregon -10.5, O/U: 59.5

Who To Root For: USC

There is no game this weekend that will have a bigger impact on Notre Dame's resume than this one, and the reason is it serves two huge purposes. The first is the obvious in that it will give Oregon a second loss and likely drop the Ducks below Notre Dame in the rankings. A win by USC would also give Notre Dame a resume boost, as it would likely jump the Trojans up several spots in the rankings as well. I know Irish fans don't like rooting for USC, but put your disdain for the Trojans aside for a second and realize how huge a USC win would be for Notre Dame.

PITTSBURGH (7-3) at #16 GEORGIA TECH (9-1)

Location: Bobby Dodd Stadium (Atlanta, Ga.)
Date: Saturday - November 22
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Network: ESPN
Line: Georgia Tech -2.5, O/U: 61.5

Who To Root For: Pittsburgh

This is the second biggest game on the docket for Notre Dame's resume. The Panthers dropped out of the Top 25 after their loss to Notre Dame last weekend, but a win at #16 Georgia Tech would likely jump them back into the rankings. They could make a big jump up the rankings if they not only win this game but teams like Tennessee (at Florida), Missouri (at Oklahoma), Houston (vs TCU) and Tulane (at Temple) also lose. 

It won't have a huge impact on Notre Dame's resume, but a Stanford win over California would give the Irish a small, tiny bump in resume (SOS, opponent record). Some chaos in the American this weekend would also be huge for the Irish, as it would give Navy a great chance to clinch an AAC title game berth with a win next weekend over Memphis, and would also give the Midshipmen a great shot to jump into the Top 25. So root for Rice to beat North Texas, Temple to beat Tulane and UTSA to beat East Carolina.

PLAYOFF CONTENDERS

#22 MISSOURI (7-3) at #8 OKLAHOMA (8-2)

Location: Memorial Stadium (Norman, Okla.) 
Date: Saturday - November 22
Time: 12:00 PM ET
Network: ABC
Line: Oklahoma -6.5, O/U: 42.5

Who To Root For: Missouri, but this game is sort of a win-win

This game is a win-win for two reasons. Missouri winning is the best case for Notre Dame because it would drop the Sooners behind the Irish and out of the playoff mix. That would also hurt Alabama's resume more than it would help it. The boost to Alabama would be that Missouri goes up in the rankings, but Oklahoma dropping a week after beating the Tide would make their "best loss" look a lot worse. Notre Dame is highly likely to move up to #8 and would make it incredibly hard for the Irish to get bumped out. So this would be huge for Notre Dame. If Oklahoma wins it doesn't have quite as big of a positive impact for Notre Dame, but it does still help the Irish because it would drop Missouri back out of the Top 25, which hinders Alabama's resume.

#13 MIAMI (10-2) at VIRGINIA TECH (3-7)

Location: Lane Stadium (Blacksburg, Va.)
Date: Saturday - November 22
Time: 12:00 PM ET
Network: ESPN
Line: Miami -18.5 (FanDuel), O/U: 48.5

Who To Root For: Virginia Tech

I'm just tired of listening to Miami fines whine about their head-to-head win over Notre Dame. It's highly unlikely, but Virginia Tech winning would eliminate the Hurricanes from the playoff conversation and silence the constant complaining about where they are ranked relative to Notre Dame.

#11 BYU (9-1) at CINCINNATI (7-3)

Location: Nippert Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Date: Saturday - November 22
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Network: FOX
Line: BYU -2.5, O/U: 55.5

Who To Root For: Cincinnati

There are few teams with a chance to jump Notre Dame in the rankings, but BYU is one of those teams. If BYU beats a ranked Cincinnati team this weekend, UCF next weekend and then beat Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game there's a legitimate chance that they can rise ahead of the Irish in the rankings. It's not a given, but it's certainly possible. So if BYU loses a second game they are done and there's one less team that can potentially pass the Irish up in the rankings.

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