Notre Dame’s early-season numbers are starting to push back hard against the “paper tiger” chatter.
After two weeks, the Fighting Irish own the nation’s No. 1 offense, and that’s the part of the team drawing the most attention right now - even with the defense usually getting the spotlight when people talk about how far Notre Dame can go this season and how many games it can win in 2026. The latest proof came when ESPN’s Bill Connelly refreshed his SP+ rankings, his metric for sorting out how teams stack up across FBS.
In Connelly’s latest update, Notre Dame sits No. 3 overall, trailing only Georgia and Ohio State. The Buckeyes are ranked ahead of the Irish despite their loss to Texas on Saturday, a reminder that the SP+ isn’t built on quick reactions. It’s a broader measurement of team quality, and right now it says Marcus Freeman’s group is sitting near the top.
The offensive ranking is the headline-grabber. Notre Dame checks in at No. 1 on that side of the ball, which naturally raises the question of whether the number is inflated by weaker opposition. Tennessee is the No. 2 offense in the country and ranks just 11th overall, so there is at least a case for skepticism around offense-versus-opponent quality.
But Notre Dame’s profile is hard to dismiss when the other side of the ball looks this strong too. Chris Ash’s defense is No. 6 in SP+, giving the Irish a balanced statistical case that goes beyond one hot unit carrying the load.
And the comparison point is flattering. Notre Dame’s overall, offensive, and defensive SP+ scores all better than Texas, Miami, and Indiana. For a team that’s been tagged by some as a paper tiger, those numbers are making that label look shakier by the week.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Just Sent A Strong Message In The Scheduling Debate
Notre Dame keeps adding to a nonconference slate that already carries more weight than most, and the latest move brings Nebraska back onto the schedule for the first time since 2001. The schools announced a two-game home-and-home series, with the first meeting set for Oct. 30, 2032, in Lincoln and the return game on Oct. 29, 2033, in South Bend. It is another notable addition for a program that has had to work to secure Power 4 opponents while protecting the kind of schedule its fans and playoff rsum demand.
The matchup also restores a familiar intersection between two storied brands that have not played often enough in recent years to lose its appeal. Nebraska has won the last three meetings, which gives the series a little extra edge before either side even gets to the field. For Notre Dame, it is the kind of scheduling decision that keeps the Irish in the national conversation, even as the sports calendar gets harder to manage. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Added A Future Matchup That Will Split Fans
Notre Dames future schedule picked up another big-name addition with Nebraska officially locking in a home-and-home series for the 2032 and 2033 seasons. The Cornhuskers will host the Irish on Oct. 30, 2032, then head to South Bend on Oct. 29, 2033, giving both programs another marquee non-conference matchup to circle well in advance.
The series, announced by Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen, fits into the Huskers broader scheduling plans and gives Notre Dame another heavyweight opponent on the horizon. For Irish fans, it is the kind of intersectional series that will draw plenty of interest, even if the long runway means plenty can change before either game is played. [Read more 🡒]
Junior Tuihalamakas LSU Role Is Shifting Faster Than Notre Dame Fans Expected
Junior Tuihalamakas move from Notre Dame to LSU has already turned into a quieter sort of transition than some might have expected, with the former Fighting Irish defender mostly showing up on special teams through the Tigers first two wins of the 2026 season. He has seen only a handful of defensive snaps, but he has at least managed to get on the stat sheet with a tackle in limited action, a small early sign that he is working his way into the mix.
LSUs defensive line is still sorting itself out, with a group that includes multiple transfers and freshmen, so the path for Tuihalamaka is hardly fixed. For now, the role looks more like depth and support than a full-time defensive assignment, but that can change quickly over the course of a season as the Tigers keep reshaping their front. [Read more 🡒]