No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 23 Pitt in Playoff-Test Game

PITTSBURGH — The ninth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish face a crucial road test against the 23rd-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, a matchup that carries significant implications for both teams' College Football Playoff aspirations. The game, set for noon ET on ABC, marks the first visit to Pittsburgh by ESPN's College GameDay since 2005 and pits two 7-2 squads in a nonconference clash that could reshape the playoff picture.

Notre Dame enters on a seven-game winning streak after rebounding from early-season losses to Miami and Texas A&M with dominant victories, including a 49-10 rout of Navy last weekend. A win would position the Irish for a 10-2 regular-season finish, with remaining games against Syracuse and Stanford, virtually securing an at-large berth in the 12-team playoff field where they currently rank ninth. However, the team will be without key contributors, according to its Thursday injury report. Wide receiver Jaden Greathouse, who has been limited by a lingering leg injury, is ruled out, as is defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio, who has struggled with availability. Kicker Noah Burnette, nursing a hip issue, will also sit, with Erik Schmidt...