WWE star Sheamus makes his CFP national champion prediction for 2024 known

College football is back, and the first game of the season is being held in Dublin, Ireland. "College GameDay" was there, and the iconic pregame show was held internationally for the first time.

The show also had Irish WWE star Sheamus on it. Sheamus joined the usual team, which included part-time WWE commentator Pat McAfee, and made his predictions for the season.

One of those predictions was who would be the national champions. He made a pick that was very on-brand for the Irish man.

Sheamus chose the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for his pick.

The Fighting Irish is generally associated with Ireland, despite being based in Indiana and having a French name. Notre Dame means "Our Lady" and is a common sight in Catholic churches in Ireland.

This, paired with the leprechaun as a mascot and the team's strong name recognition, makes it no surprise that Notre Dame is big in Ireland.

The Sheamus character in the WWE is almost a representation of Irish mythology, history and its stereotypes. It is part of the character for him to pick the Fighting Irish to win the national championship.

Will Sheamus be right? Can the Notre Dame Fighting Irish win the national championship this year?

While many fans, including Sheamus, want Notre Dame to win the national championship this season, how likely is it?

Coming into the season, the Fighting Irish have been ranked as the seventh-best team in the AP preseason poll.

They have a new quarterback, with Riley Leonard replacing Sam Hartman, and have a strong squad that is usually associated with the Fighting Irish program. While they have some weak spots and questionable players, these should be ironed out throughout the year.

The main benefit for Notre Dame this season is the expanded 12-team playoff. They do not have a conference, which makes them ineligible for the automatic berth for winning a conference. But all they have to do is be one of the top 12 teams in the country and they will be in.

From there, they are good enough to be a threatening opponent to the larger programs from the SEC and Big Ten.

If they can stay consistent and defeat some big teams, a national championship could be theirs.