Notre Dame had to win 10-straight games to make the College Football Playoff after losing to Northern Illinois and the Irish just did.

Because it’s my No. 1 seed, I’ll crown Charlie Weis’ first team as my “national champion” in this all-Notre Dame field. The best quarterback with the best wide receivers wins out. Debate that if you’d like. But the bigger takeaway should be the current Notre Dame team rates as the program’s best shot at winning it all in a decade. Maybe longer.

A week before Notre-Dame Cathedral is set to open its doors, photos and videos have been released of the reconstructed place of worship.