Brian Kelly is back talking about Notre Dame, and this time he’s making a prediction that will land well with the fan base he once left behind on shaky ground.
The former Irish coach, now working as an analyst with CBS Sports this fall, has been floating predictions ahead of his games after his firing from LSU. Some of those calls have not exactly been crowd-pleasers. His Texas Longhorns national title take, for one, reportedly went over like a lead balloon.
But Kelly’s latest forecast is a different story. In a game-by-game look at Notre Dame’s 2026 schedule, he picked Marcus Freeman’s team to run the table in the regular season and finish 12-0. CBS Sports College Football posted the prediction on August 5, 2026.
Kelly did acknowledge that not every game will be a walk in the park. He pointed to North Carolina and Michigan State as matchups that could be tougher than they look. Even so, his bottom line stayed the same: Notre Dame wins every game and heads to the College Football Playoff undefeated.
That kind of prediction naturally raises the question of motive. Is Kelly really buying into the Irish, or is he trying to smooth things over with a fan base that has never exactly welcomed him back with open arms? The answer feels like it could be both.
There’s also nothing outrageous about the pick on its face. More than a few analysts have said Notre Dame may need to come close to unbeaten to make the CFP, given the way the schedule sets up. So if Kelly nails this one, he’ll get plenty of credit for seeing it coming.
For now, though, it reads like a former coach making a very public play for some goodwill from the same crowd that has been happiest rooting against him.
In Other News...
Notre Dames 2020s All-America Footprint Sparks A Bigger Irish Debate
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For the Irish, the larger question is less about any one name than about footprint. Notre Dame has had enough award winners, big-game producers and statistical standouts this decade to expect real representation when national honors get stacked side by side, and any All-America exercise invites a familiar comparison with peers at the positions where the Irish have been strongest. In a year built around anniversary nostalgia, the conversation naturally drifts beyond the list itself and into the tougher part of the exercise: where Notre Dames best players of the 2020s actually fit when the entire sport is under the same spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freeman Still Has One Crucial QB Decision To Make
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Freeman has made clear the evaluation is ongoing, which fits the reality of a room where the No. 2 job can be as much about timing and readiness as raw talent. Jarrard, who reclassified from the 2027 to 2026 recruiting class, is viewed as a gifted addition, but he is still adjusting to the speed of college football, leaving Notre Dame with a decision that could keep evolving as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has A Huge Secondary Question Opposite Leonard Moore
The search for help opposite Leonard Moore has already put DJ McKinney in the middle of Notre Dames biggest secondary question for 2026. The fifth-year senior cornerback arrives from Colorado with starting experience from both the Buffaloes and Oklahoma State, which gives him a level of familiarity the Irish can lean on as they sort out who fits best on the field side.
McKinneys case is straightforward enough: if he settles in and stays on the field, Notre Dame can pair an All-American in Moore with a proven veteran who has seen enough college football to handle real snaps. The Irish do not need him to be a star, but they do need him to be dependable, and his health and performance will go a long way toward deciding whether that side of the secondary becomes a strength or stays an open question. [Read more 🡒]