Dusty Dvoracek is betting against the Big Ten’s latest national title run.
With Indiana and Ohio State coming off two of the conference’s last three championships, and Oregon hoping to crash the conversation with a roster loaded with experience, the Big Ten has plenty of momentum heading toward 2026. But on ESPN’s “Get Up,” the former Oklahoma defensive lineman and college football analyst went a different direction for his national championship pick.
“I’m all in on the (Fighting) Irish this season,” Dvoracek said. “I think this is Notre Dame’s year.
Last year, they were just left out. Marcus Freeman's mantra for this year: leave no doubt.
I love the line of scrimmage; this is an elite defense, and I think CJ Carr is a star.”
Dvoracek pointed to Notre Dame’s roster as the reason for his confidence, highlighting Carr’s growing buzz in Heisman Trophy and NFL draft conversations and the defense’s NFL talent that returned from the 2025 team.
The Fighting Irish also enter the season carrying the sting of last year’s College Football Playoff snub. Their only two losses in 2025 came early, both by three points, against Miami and Texas A&M, two teams that made the playoff.
Notre Dame’s history only adds another layer to the conversation. Its national title under Lou Holtz came 10 years before the era of national championship games began.
Since then, the Fighting Irish have reached two national championship games and lost both. They were beaten by Alabama in the final BCS National Championship Game to finish the 2012 season, falling 42-14 after a perfect regular season. More recently, in the first 12-team College Football Playoff national championship, Ohio State ripped off 31 straight points from the start of the second quarter to the middle of the third quarter and beat Notre Dame 34-23.
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