Notre Dame’s defense is staring at a season with real teeth.
That’s the case being made in a set of bold predictions that leans hard into what the Irish could become in 2026: a group that piles up sacks, creates turnovers at a ridiculous clip and has multiple players pushing into breakout territory. None of it is framed as a sure thing, but the ceiling being described is clear. This is a defense being picked to make noise from the first few weeks all the way through the postseason.
The biggest team-level swing comes in the pass rush. Notre Dame is projected to break the program record for sacks in a regular season, topping the 41.0 mark Marcus Freeman tied as defensive coordinator in 2021.
That number came over 13 games. The idea here is that the Irish get there faster, with the sack total taking off early instead of sputtering out of the gate the way it did last season, when Notre Dame finished with 34.0 sacks in 12 games but only 3.0 through the first three.
The other major defensive standard is points allowed, especially against top-tier competition. The prediction calls for Notre Dame to hold ranked Power 4 opponents to 16.0 points per game, including the postseason. That would be a sharp drop from the 25.5 points per game the Irish allowed against ranked P4 teams last season, and also lower than the 19.8 points per game they gave up to ranked opponents in the 2024 season.
Then there’s the turnover forecast, which might be the boldest of the bold. Notre Dame is projected to lead the nation in interceptions with 24 or more.
The reasoning is straightforward: the Irish were already close last season, finishing with 21 interceptions in 12 games, and they should have enough games this fall to clear the threshold. Aaron Henry’s presence as defensive backs coach is also part of the case, especially after his Illinois secondary led the nation in interceptions in 2022 with 24.
The individual projections are just as aggressive.
Christian Gray is the one picked to put the program record for pick-sixes in a season under pressure. The current mark is two, shared by Julian Love and Jack Kiser. Gray’s move inside to nickel is expected to put him in tighter coverage situations that fit his game, and over a 15 to 16 game season, the prediction says he could reach three interception returns for touchdowns.
Bryce Young is another name getting a major leap forecast. The 6-6, 260-pound North Carolina native is being tabbed for 10.0 or more tackles for loss after finishing 2024 with 3.0 TFLs and 2025 with 2.0 TFLs. The expectation is that this is the year he turns flashes into a full breakout and becomes the “1b” to Boubacar Traore’s “1a.”
Madden Faraimo rounds out the linebacker projection, and it’s a sneaky interesting one. Even with Drayk Bowen, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Jaylen Sneed and Jaiden Ausberry back in the room, Faraimo is expected to force his way into the mix. The prediction has him finishing No. 2 on the team in tackles for loss, setting him up for a national breakout in 2027 once the room shifts into the post-Bowen, post-Sneed era.
For Notre Dame’s defense, the bar being set here is high: more sacks, more interceptions, fewer points and a few players moving from promising to unavoidable.
In Other News...
Notre Dames First Wisconsin Depth Chart Leaves One Big Line Question
Notre Dames first depth chart for the Wisconsin game brought some clarity to the offensive line, and it starts with Ashton Craig back where the Irish want him most. After a season-ending injury derailed his year, Craig is listed at center again, giving the front a familiar anchor as the opener approaches. The chart also showed freshman Charlie Thom moving to tackle, another sign the staff is still sorting out the best combinations up front before the real test begins.
One spot remains unsettled, though, and it is the kind of opening-week question that can matter against a physical opponent like Wisconsin: right guard. Sullivan Absher and Styles Prescod are both in the mix there, leaving Notre Dame with one key decision still hanging as it finalizes the line. The defensive side of the chart offered its own clues, with starters and rotations including transfers and freshmen expected to play roles right away, but the biggest eyes will stay on that right guard battle until the Irish settle it. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Could Have A Dream Week 1 Matchup On Defense
Wisconsin is already signaling that it plans to challenge Leonard Moore when the Badgers open the season against Notre Dame, a notable stance given how quickly the Irish corner has built a reputation as one of the more difficult defensive backs to work around. Moore has piled up pass breakups and interceptions over his first two seasons, and Pro Football Focus has graded his coverage highly, which makes any opposing coach who is willing to test him worth watching closely.
Luke Fickell saying Wisconsin will not steer clear of Moore adds a little extra intrigue to a Week 1 game that already has plenty of it. Notre Dame has seen this kind of approach before, including from a former Wisconsin staff in 2021, when the Badgers kept attacking the Irish top corner and paid for it with interceptions. Whether this version of Wisconsin follows the same path could go a long way toward shaping how much of a defensive showcase the opener becomes. [Read more 🡒]
Al Golden's Bengals Reunion With Two Former Irish Stars Ended Harshly
Al Goldens arrival in Cincinnati had given Howard Cross III and Isaiah Foskey a familiar face in the building, but the Bengals roster trim brought a far less welcome ending. Both former Notre Dame standouts were waived as the team cut down to its 53-man regular-season limit, part of a wider effort to reshape a defense that struggled last season and needed more stability across the board.
For Irish fans, the connection made the situation especially notable. Cross and Foskey both came through Notre Dame with Golden involved in their development, which made the reunion feel like a natural fit heading into camp. Instead, the Bengals moved in a different direction, leaving two ex-Irish defenders looking for their next opportunity just as Cincinnati settled its opening-week roster. [Read more 🡒]