Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua defended the Fighting Irish's status as an independent on Friday. "No secret, the expansion of the CFP from four

Notre Dame's Anthonie Knapp has been ruled out of the Playoff championship game against Ohio State with an ankle injury, but coach Marcus Freeman said Sunday Rocco Spindler is on track to play. The offensive linemen were hurt in the second quarter of the Irish's semifinal win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday,