Notre Dame is carrying more national championship buzz than any other team in college football this offseason, and the numbers behind that confidence are hard to miss.
In a compilation of expert picks gathered by On3’s Thomas Goldkamp, more than 50 college football analysts weighed in on who will win the 2026 title. LSU, Georgia, Miami, Indiana, Texas, Ohio State and Oregon each picked up multiple votes, but none came close to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish landed 16 separate selections to win the national championship, more than double the next-closest contender.
That list of believers stretches across the sport’s biggest platforms. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis and Bill Connelly all backed Notre Dame, along with Brad Crawford of CBS Sports and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic and FOX Sports.
Some of those picks came with a specific opponent attached. Joel Klatt and Bruce Feldman both took Notre Dame over Oregon, while Crawford did the same.
Booger McFarland and David Cone each chose the Irish against Texas. Herbstreit went with Notre Dame over Indiana, the defending champion.
There’s a clear logic to the confidence. Notre Dame enters the season ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP poll, its highest starting spot since 2006. The Irish also missed last year’s College Football Playoff only because a Week 1 head-to-head loss to Miami pushed the selection committee toward the Hurricanes for the final at-large berth, even though Notre Dame finished with a better record and a higher ranking.
Marcus Freeman’s team closed 2025 by winning its final 10 games, and that finish has shaped the way this group is being viewed heading into the new season.
At quarterback, CJ Carr is back for his second year as the full-time starter after posting 2,741 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 66.6 percent of his throws in 2025. His 9.4 yards per attempt ranked second nationally among qualifying passers.
The Irish also bring back plenty around him. ESPN’s returning production data shows Notre Dame returning its top target from last season in Jordan Faison, plus players responsible for 42 of 60 offensive line starts. The losses on offense included running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, who went to the NFL Draft, but research on roster continuity suggests running back turnover tends to matter less than departures at other spots.
Defensively, Notre Dame has one of the most proven pieces in the country in cornerback Leonard Moore. The Irish return 14 of the 21 players who played at least 200 snaps a year ago, and Moore led the team with five interceptions and seven pass breakups despite missing two games. He earned unanimous All-American honors and has already been named a preseason All-American again by ESPN, The Athletic, Sporting News and Walter Camp for 2026.
Freeman also added help on defense from the portal, bringing in Pitt defensive tackle Francis Brewu and Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney.
Notre Dame opens the season against Wisconsin on September 6 in a Shamrock Series game at Lambeau Field. The schedule tightens later, with No.
14 BYU on the road on October 17 and No. 7 Miami coming to South Bend on November 7 in a rematch of the loss that helped define last year’s playoff debate.
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Notre Dame is already looking ahead to a Week 1 measuring stick in 2026, and the assignment comes with a different kind of stress than the usual opener. Wisconsin is expected to show up with a revamped offense, and the Irish know the first challenge is identifying how quickly that unit can settle in under a new quarterback and a new set of wrinkles. For Notre Dames defense, the early emphasis is straightforward: stop the run, force clean reads and make the Badgers work for every yard.
The key figure in all of it is Colton Joseph, a dual-threat quarterback who gives Wisconsin a wider range of answers than it had before. Notre Dames front will need to be disciplined enough to keep him in the pocket, because once a quarterback with his mobility starts extending plays, the whole structure of a defense can get stressed in a hurry. For the Irish, the opener is less about surviving August football and more about proving they can handle an offense that may look different, move differently and force them to adjust from the first series. [Read more 🡒]
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Marcus Freeman has pointed to Shulers strength in the face of all of it, noting the way the safety has stayed focused on both family and team through a difficult stretch. For Notre Dame, Shulers presence is about more than one game in August - it is a reminder of the leadership role he carries and the emotional weight behind it. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freeman Reveals What Adon Shuler Means To Notre Dame Right Now
Adon Shuler will be on the field for Notre Dames season opener against Wisconsin, a decision that says as much about his resolve as it does about the support around him. In the wake of the recent death of his father, Don Shuler, the captain has leaned on the program while continuing to be one of the teams key players and leaders heading into Week 1.
Marcus Freeman said Shuler never seriously considered sitting out, and the Irish have made it clear they are standing with him and his family through the grieving process. For Notre Dame, Shulers presence carries meaning beyond the depth chart, a reminder of how much a captain can matter when football and life collide at the start of a season. [Read more 🡒]