College football's leaders have yet to make a formal decision, but an expansion to at least 16 teams appears to be at the forefront of everybody's minds.

The college football world carefully watched Sunday as one of the top programs in the sport was left out of the 2025 College Football Playoff. However, some fans are now looking ahead at the 2026 season after the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s campaign came to an abrupt end.

Within four hours Sunday, Notre Dame went from a potential CFP berth to its season being over. Here's why they elected not to play in a bowl game.

Notre Dame football was geared to make another deep run through the College Football Playoff, but instead, the season and everything about it is over.

After being snubbed by the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame has pulled itself out of the postseason entirely. Hours after being left out of the 12-team playoff, the Fighting Irish announced that “as a team, we’ve decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season,” the football team posted on X.

Notre Dame football's focus has shifted to the transfer portal after being left out of the College Football Playoff. Backup quarterback Kenny Minchey reportedly plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens on January 2. The new winter transfer portal window for most teams runs from January 2 through January 16.

Anderson 4-star defensive back Ace Alston is the 11th-best cornerback in the nation. He committed to Notre Dame on Tuesday.

Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua on Tuesday said the football team’s decision not to play in a bowl game following it being left out of the CFP was a decision solely isolated to this year, though it was the right decision for this team at this moment.

Alabama and Miami are in, Notre Dame is out and Indiana is No. 1 in the College Football Playoff’s 12-team bracket.

Notre Dame was left out of the 2025 College Football Playoff. Could that impact how the rankings are structured moving forward?

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua offered optimism for keeping Marcus Freeman long-term. Urban Meyer offered his own advice.