A Divide Is Forming In The Notre Dame Fan Base: Which Side Are You On?

Notre Dame Football is in a terrific spot after the first three games of the 2026 season. The Irish are a pristine 3-0, are ranked third in the country, and have won their ballgames by a combined score of 120-23. On paper, this has been a dominant start and a far cry from the 0-2 start from just a year ago.

But as with all things in Irish land, Notre Dame nuance is always present, and there's a segment of the fan base that has some doubt about the Irish's number three ranking and CFP chances. I'm seeing a divide forming; let's discuss the two sides and the merits of both arguments.

Side One: Notre Dame is right on schedule, enjoy the ride

For many Irish fans, this start has been near-perfect. Notre Dame has beaten two Big Ten teams by wide margins and shut down and destroyed Rice. This is the start to a season that Irish fans have been begging for since Marcus Freeman became head coach.

On the strength of a defense that has caused seven turnovers already and that is only allowing the opponent an average of 7.6 PPG, combined with a quarterback that is locked in and has played fantastically so far, what's not to like about this version of the Irish?

Folks in this camp acknowledge that there have been bouts of inconsistency offensively in the first three games, particularly in the run game and along the offensive line, but they feel it's nothing that could derail the season and will be worked through in short order.

3️⃣ in the AP Poll#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/JypZoQzWaM
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 20, 2026

Side Two: Notre Dame has some fatal flaws

On the other side of this debate is a group of Irish fans who have some serious doubts about the high-level potential and ceiling of the 2026 Notre Dame team. Folks in this camp have two main complaints.

First, they feel that the Notre Dame offensive line is not dominant and is so inconsistent that it will cause losses to the better teams the Irish face in the regular season and would face in the CFP.

The thought pattern here is that if Notre Dame struggles to open up run lanes consistently in the first halves of games against Wisconsin and Michigan State, how could it be trusted to hold up against BYU, Miami, or top CFP teams?

Sure, this group should improve the longer it plays together, but can it dominate full games against great teams? There's doubt that it can.

The second concern for this group involves Notre Dame's skill talent, particularly with the running backs and receivers. Jordan Faison is slippery, and Micah Gilbert had a breakout night against the Spartans while Nolan James emerged as the potential lead back.

But will these players scare better defenses? Are these athletes twitchy enough to cause CFP teams fits for entire games? For folks in this group, they believe the answer is no and that this and non-elite line play will ultimately hold Notre Dame back from ultimate CFP glory.

Wait and see

I completely understand the folks in group one who are thrilled with the 3-0 start and how much good there is on this team, and the desire to embrace every win for what it is. Another step in the right direction and proof that things are going swell.

That being said, I do believe the Notre Dame offensive line and run game need to become much more consistent for the Irish to make a deep CFP run and to defeat BYU and Miami in the regular season. I'm also looking for more consistency in the receiving room as well.

These are fair items to monitor. This is where I think Notre Dame's schedule is its best friend in 2026. A lot of improvement will take place for the Irish in the next three games before the marquee battle in Provo, and that gives me comfort.

The recipe for Notre Dame is simple. Continue to win games while ironing out the inefficiencies. As long as the Irish do this week to week, things are right on track. What side of this debate do you fall in and why? Do you have patience for the process or have major doubts about the high-end upside of this team?

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