ACC participant if they meet criteria. They are also part of the other Orange Bowl spot (along with the SEC and Big 10) if they meet criteria. This year, as they are playing in the ACC they only have the ACC participant as a possibility.
In addition, to those two ways they can be automatically selected, they are eligible as an at large spot (along with BYU and every other team in the country).
So ND has some great advantages.
In addition, even though this isn't spelled out, the Board of managers consists of basically the 10 conferences and the Notre Dame AD. While the ranking committee is under no obligation to make sure the conferences and ND are happy, they are effectively the bosses of the committee. The committee is made up of sophisticated people that are selected because they already understand the deal or have biases already.
As such, ND has a distinct advantage in getting a favorable ranking (not that they need it this year).
HOWEVER, once the ranking is done, it is done. The teams will be selected based on the rankings. There's some complications because of auto bids of conference champions or bowls losing a contracted team. But the "At-large" picks are strictly based on ranking. Nothing else.
BYU very likely could get screwed but it HAS to be done at the ranking stage. They have to rank us lower which I actually think they will.