Notre Dame is getting a serious preseason boost from one of college football’s most recognizable voices.
With the 2026 season nearly here, College GameDay host Rece Davis has put the Fighting Irish at No. 1 in his own preseason rankings and said he expects them to finish the job. Notre Dame already enters the year with plenty of attention, thanks to returning quarterback CJ Carr, who is among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy, and a No. 4 spot in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.
On the “Pat McAfee Show,” Davis made his stance clear.
“Notre Dame is my preseason No. 1 team, and they’re the team that I believe will win the national championship,” Davis said on the “Pat McAfee Show.” “To answer your question, yes, the schedule is helpful to them early.
They’ve got Miami, they’ve got SMU, I believe later on in the season, who will be very good, but I think the Irish are loaded. I really believe in CJ Carr, and I think this is the year Notre Dame breaks through for the first time since our late great friend Lou Holtz led them to the title in 1988.”
The Irish will get their season started at home against Wisconsin on Sept. 6.
That game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Notre Dame’s schedule gives it some room to build momentum early, too. The Irish won’t face Miami until Nov. 7, and SMU doesn’t arrive until Nov. 21.
That setup leaves Notre Dame with a chance to stack wins and settle in before the biggest tests hit later in the year.
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