Notre Dame is guaranteed to have a losing season for the first time since 2007 after the Fighting Irish blew a double-digit lead at home against Virginia Tech.
Related: Notre Dame loses again, and Brian Kelly now risks tying a Charlie Weis record
The Irish are currently 4-7, and they travel to play USC this Saturday. If Notre Dame upsets USC, they could still possibly reach a bowl game at 5-7 if its Academic Progress Rate is high enough.
If there aren't enough teams with at least six wins, it's possible for five-win teams to reach a bowl game. Notre Dame's APR is 975, but there are a few teams with 4-5 wins who would be ahead of the Irish.
Here are the schools with higher APR's than Notre Dame who could prevent them from reaching a bowl game:
Duke (4-7): 995
Northwestern (5-6): 992
Vanderbilt (5-6): 990
North Texas (5-6): 984
Boston College (5-6): 981
Indiana (5-6): 979
Maryland (5-6): 977
This is Brian Kelly's first losing season since 2004 when he was the head coach at Central Michigan.
Brian Kelly is 15-14 in the past 29 games at Notre Dame.
Charlie Weis was 15-14 in his final 29 games at Notre Dame.
— Irish Illustrated (@PeteSampson_) November 20, 2016
Considering Notre Dame was in the top 10 earlier this season, should Kelly be on the hot seat? He received a vote of confidence from Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick in October, but the Irish have been a major disappointment this season.
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