Kirk Herbstreit is sticking with Notre Dame as his preseason national championship pick, even with Ohio State sitting atop the AP poll and Indiana coming off a perfect title run.
During Saturday’s first College GameDay broadcast of the season, Herbstreit said the Fighting Irish will win the 2026 national championship. If that call hits, it would give Notre Dame its first title since 1988. That’s a bold swing for a team that missed the College Football Playoff entirely last season despite going 10-2, but Herbstreit has been on this train all offseason.
He first picked Notre Dame on The Pat McAfee Show, then went even deeper on his Nonstop podcast with former Ohio State receiver Joey Galloway, laying out a full Playoff bracket. In that projection, Notre Dame came in as the No. 3 seed, beat Texas in what Herbstreit described as "a coin-flip for me," knocked off Georgia in the semifinals and then met Indiana for the championship.
At the center of Herbstreit’s belief is quarterback CJ Carr. In his first season as a starter, Carr threw for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions while guiding Notre Dame to a 10-2 record.
Herbstreit has also pegged Carr as his preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, and he’s pointed to Notre Dame’s recruiting and its experience at wide receiver as reasons he thinks this team is built for more than last year’s finish. ESPN’s Rece Davis has also gone with Notre Dame to win it all.
Indiana’s path, at least in Herbstreit’s bracket, is just as notable. The Hoosiers went 16-0 last season, won the Big Ten and beat Miami for the national championship.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy before going first overall in the NFL Draft, and Curt Cignetti now turns the offense over to TCU transfer Josh Hoover. Even with the title defense, Indiana opened this season at No. 6 in the AP poll, behind Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas.
Herbstreit still sees Indiana getting back to the title game. On his podcast, he projected the Hoosiers would get there by beating Oregon and Ohio State, which would give them a fourth straight win over the Ducks in that rivalry.
Notre Dame opens the season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sept. 6.
In Other News...
Former Notre Dame Defender Just Entered LSUs Eligibility Fight
Junior Tuihalamakas football path has taken another turn, with the former Notre Dame defensive lineman now on LSUs roster and expected to play after being granted an extra year of eligibility by the courts. For Irish fans who remember him as part of the defensive front in South Bend, it is another reminder of how much roster movement and eligibility uncertainty continues to shape college football well beyond the transfer portal.
LSU, meanwhile, is taking a more cautious approach with two other players in a similar position. DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris have also been granted a fifth season of eligibility, but they have not been added to the roster yet because of concerns about possible SEC sanctions. Both remain enrolled and could still be moved onto the roster later in the season, which leaves the Tigers waiting on a situation that could ripple through the conference. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is In The Mix For A Recruit Fans Need To Watch
Grant Bowen has quickly become one of the more intriguing recruiting names in Illinois, and Notre Dame is right in the thick of it. The Elmhurst Immaculate Conception standout has drawn more than 30 college offers thanks to his work as both a tight end and an edge rusher, a rare combination that has made evaluators across the country take notice. 247Sports lists him as the No. 102 player nationally and the No. 6 prospect in the state, which helps explain why his recruitment has moved so fast.
Notre Dame jumped in with an offer on January 30, and the Irish offensive staff has shown strong interest since then. For a program that likes to identify versatile athletes with room to develop, Bowen fits the kind of profile that can stay on the radar deep into the cycle. His two-way ability gives schools plenty to sort through, and it should make his next steps worth following closely for Notre Dame fans. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Enters Notre Dame Clash With More To Prove Than Expected
Notre Dame heads into its meeting with Wisconsin carrying the more obvious edge on paper, at least according to David Kenyon of Bleacher Report, who sees the Irish as the more talented team in the matchup. The Badgers still have enough going for them to make this more than a routine early-season test, with a defense built to make things uncomfortable and a quarterback who can add an extra layer to the offense.
Colton Joseph gives Wisconsin a chance to hang around if the game turns into a grind, and that is where the intrigue lies for Notre Dame. The Irish are expected to control the matchup, but the Badgers have the kind of ingredients that can shorten games and complicate projections, which is why this one feels like a useful measuring stick even before the final score comes into view. [Read more 🡒]