SOUTH BEND — Coming off the biggest win in Marcus Freeman's three years as head coach, Notre Dame football is favorably positioned for a run at the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

Yes, there's still 11 more regular-season games to play, but Saturday's 23-13 win over No. 20 Texas A&M in front of 107,000-plus at Kyle Field, stands as a benchmark for what this Irish team is capable.

So, what's at stake this week when the seventh-ranked Irish (US LBM Coaches Poll) host Northern Illinois of the Mid-American Conference? Pretty simple: Avoid a Marshall repeat (home-opening upset loss in 2022), avoid injuries and keep on improving, especially along the offensive line.

South Bend Tribune Notre Dame football beat writers Tom Noie and Mike Berardino, along with WNDU sports director Jackson Neill, unpack the win in College Station and breakdown Saturday's game against the Huskies on this week's Pod of Gold Notre Dame football podcast.

Special guest this week is college football recruiting guru Tom Lemming. This week's show was recorded in the studios of news gathering partner WNDU.