Hate of Notre Dame Speaks Volumes About Fighting Irish Rise

It's amazing what a little bit of success can do.

That's what has been going on in recent years with Notre Dame football as the Fighting Irish have gone from very good to one of the nation's best programs on a regular basis under head coach Marcus Freeman.

As a result, the reception to Notre Dame football has been different recently compared to the last nearly 30 years.

Notre Dame Named Most Hated Team by Top Analyst

Although he'll tell you there is no off-season, college football analyst Josh Pate is like any content creator this time of year: in search of good ideas.

On his most recent episode of the Josh Pate's College Football Show, Pate listed who he feels are currently the eight most hated teams in college football.

You can watch the segment in full below, but spoiler alert, Notre Dame checked in No. 1

Michigan only being No. 7 on this list shocks me, but that's a different story for a different day.

Jealousy Over Notre Dame's Independence

First off, this segment got me thinking about the Chappelle Show back in the day and I started imagining a "Hater's Ball" sketch filled with only college football coaches, but that's not why you called.

Bring 'The Haters Ball' back. #IYKYK pic.twitter.com/7ZWrDsqeJz
— Will Kelly (@IKnowSoftware) February 19, 2026

Pate alludes to it a bit in his discussion, but depending on where you live, regionally, you've been fed things to believe about Notre Dame based on it.

He is spot-on correct about how others view Notre Dame's independence. It doesn't matter if it's Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, or anyone else for that matter. Does anyone really dislike that Notre Dame is independent or do they just not like the fact that their team isn't?

You know who doesn't have to worry about half its schedule being moved to noon kickoff games, and instead gets to play all of its biggest home games under the lights? Notre Dame, unlike those teams in the Big Ten.

Outrage Over Pop-Tarts Bowl is Laughable

Pop-Tarts mascots during the 2025 bowl gam — Dec 27, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Pop-Tarts mascots celebrate with BYU Cougars after beating Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

There are a ton of reasons to hate Notre Dame, but because of skipping the Pop-Tarts Bowl?

Was anyone upset when Kansas State and Iowa State skipped out on bowl games last year?

No, that hate was reserved for Notre Dame.

C'mon now. Would you suddenly hate a legendary baseball player because he chose not to play in a Savannah Bananas exhibition game? That's the equivalent of Notre Dame skipping out on the Pop-Tarts Bowl last year.

You know what's better than a Pop-Tarts Bowl exhibition with a bunch of bench guys who didn't see the two-deep during the regular season? A home and home against the reigning Pop-Tarts Bowl champions, BYU, which Notre Dame scheduled right after the conclusion of the 2025 season.

Hate Only Comes from Success

Quick, look back at Notre Dame since the end of the Lou Holtz era.

Did anyone hate Notre Dame during its time with Bob Davie?

Charlie Weis was plenty arrogant, but was Notre Dame hated under him?

Brian Kelly was as likeable as an ingrown toe nail and brought disdain anyhwere he went, but was the dislike then geared towards him or towards Notre Dame?

The fact of the matter is that if Notre Dame wasn't on the short list of national championship contenders on an annual basis right now, it wouldn't sniff the top of this list.

When college football had supposedly passed Notre Dame by, and the Irish were never going to win big again, that hate was down considerably. But now, as Notre Dame gets set to enter 2026 as one of the nation's best squads, the hate is real and spectacular.