Notre Dame’s 2025 Red Zone Defense: A Tale of Two Seasons, and the Blueprint for 2026
In college football, few things are more important than setting the tone early - not just in a game, but in a season. For Notre Dame, the past two years have been a reminder of just how costly a slow start can be, especially when you're aiming for a College Football Playoff berth. And in 2025, that lesson hit home again, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s talk red zone defense - a critical metric for any team with championship aspirations. The Irish defense in 2025 was, to put it plainly, a tale of two halves.
The first few weeks? Rough.
The back stretch? Arguably elite.
Early Season Struggles: A Costly Opening Act
The Irish defense stumbled out of the gate, especially in the red zone. In their first four games, Notre Dame surrendered eight red zone touchdowns - more than half of the total they gave up all season. That includes two against Miami in the opener, a brutal four-touchdown outing against Texas A&M, and one each against Purdue and Arkansas.
It’s easy to point fingers - a new coordinator in Chris Ash replacing Al Golden, a shift in scheme, or just early-season growing pains. But whatever the root cause, the results were clear: the Irish defense wasn’t ready from the jump, and it cost them.
The Turnaround: A Defense That Found Its Identity
Now, here’s where things get interesting. After those first four games, something clicked.
Over the final eight matchups of the regular season, Notre Dame’s defense turned into a wall. They allowed only six more red zone touchdowns the rest of the way - and just three of those came against the first-team unit.
The numbers tell the story. Notre Dame finished the regular season ranked 69th nationally in red zone scoring percentage allowed - not great on the surface.
But dig a little deeper, and you see a different picture. They were seventh in the country in total red zone touchdowns allowed (14) and sixth in red zone attempts allowed (25).
In other words, teams struggled just to get into scoring position against this group.
Even more impressive? Down the stretch, the Irish defense made life miserable for opposing offenses.
Against teams like NC State, Syracuse, Boston College, and Pitt, it wasn’t just about stopping touchdowns - it was about keeping them out of the red zone entirely. The first-team defense gave up just two red zone touchdowns across those final eight games: one to USC and one to Navy.
That’s it.
Syracuse and Stanford didn’t even find the end zone until garbage time, long after the starters had left the field. That’s the kind of dominance that gives you a shot at something special.
What It Means for 2026: Start Fast, Finish Strong
If there’s one takeaway from Notre Dame’s 2025 defensive campaign, it’s this: a sluggish start can derail even the most talented unit. The Irish proved they could be one of the stingiest defenses in the country - but they also showed how much early-season stumbles can skew the bigger picture.
Heading into 2026, the mission is clear. This defense has the pieces.
They've shown they can lock down the red zone, shut down drives before they start, and impose their will against top-tier offenses. But to make a serious playoff push, they can’t wait until Week 5 to flip the switch.
If Notre Dame’s defense comes out firing from Game 1, we could be looking at one of the most complete units in college football. And if that happens, don’t be surprised if the Irish are right in the thick of the playoff conversation next December.