Notre Dame Should Be the 2026 Title Favorite

The 2025 season was both encouraging and frustrating for Notre Dame.

The Irish finished 10–2, won their final ten games, and still found themselves on the outside looking in when the College Football Playoff field was announced.

That disappointment, however, has only heightened the anticipation for 2026, as Marcus Freeman enters his fifth season with a roster built to win. Here’s why.

Friend of the pod @GregMcElroy believes Notre Dame should be/could be preseason No. 1 entering next season.pic.twitter.com/0SPhu16Ba1
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) January 30, 2026

Continuity at Quarterback and Offensive Coordinator

Continuity may not seem like a major factor in today’s version of college football.

After all, the four teams that reached the national championship game over the past two seasons all did so with brand-new starting quarterbacks—Will Howard, Riley Leonard, Fernando Mendoza, and Carson Beck.

But continuity still matters, especially at the quarterback position. Notre Dame has not paired a quarterback with the same offensive coordinator for multiple seasons since Ian Book and Tommy Rees.

That changes in 2026. With C.J. Carr returning. Already viewed as a potential future first-round pick and early Heisman favorite, and paired once again with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, Notre Dame’s passing attack is poised to take a significant leap. The offense should open up, and what is placed on Carr’s plate will only expand as his comfort and command grow.

History supports that optimism. The last time Denbrock had a quarterback for two seasons in his system, that player went on to win the Heisman Trophy and become the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Year Two Under Chris Ash

This may be considered a double-edged sword, but hear me out. Yes, Chris Ash, along with the rest of the Notre Dame staff, including Marcus Freeman deserves much of the blame for the Irish’s 0–2 start in 2025, a disappointing start that ultimately cost them another potential playoff run.

That said, the improvements made throughout the season were a major reason Notre Dame remained in the playoff conversation and still had a legitimate case to be included.

Another year with the same defensive coordinator, combined with continuity across most of the defense, is a proven recipe for success. In a sport defined by constant turnover, Notre Dame’s defensive stability could be one of its biggest advantages in 2026.

Nerdy stat that interests me...

Notre Dame's defense returned 11,832 career snaps entering last season.

Notre Dame's defense returns 16,579 career snaps entering next season.

That's a 40% jump in actual defensive snaps played.
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) January 30, 2026

Transfer Portal Additions

Notre Dame is entering waters it simply hasn’t navigated before. Historically, the Irish have used the transfer portal as a supplement while relying on high school recruiting as the program’s foundation, and that approach still holds true.

However, this portal cycle marked a noticeable shift, as Notre Dame brought in several undergraduate transfers with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

That strategy not only strengthens the roster for the immediate future but also provides a level of upside the Irish typically haven’t targeted in the portal.

There’s a difference between adding a one-year rental and acquiring former five-star talents who still have another gear to unlock.

Nowhere is that more evident than at wide receiver. Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham both come from Brian Hartline’s elite Ohio State recruiting pipeline.

Graham found himself buried on the depth chart behind probable top-15 NFL Draft pick Carnell Tate, another former five-star, while Porter was a five-star true freshman whose development was slowed by offseason knee surgery. Despite their relative inexperience, the raw talent they bring is something Notre Dame hasn’t consistently had at the position in a long time.

Defensively, the upside additions continue. Keon Keeley nearly landed at Notre Dame out of high school before ultimately choosing to play for Nick Saban at Alabama. A consensus No. 1 defensive player in his class, Keeley now returns to South Bend with an opportunity to finally fulfill that projection.

The Irish also fortified the interior of the defensive line with proven production from Pitt transfer Francis Brewu, while adding a massive presence in the middle with Oregon transfer Tionne Gray.

On the back end, Notre Dame turned an already elite secondary into what is, on paper, arguably the best unit in the sport by adding Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney and Michigan defensive back Jayden Sanders.

While those two additions could be viewed as luxuries, their impact will be felt immediately.

They allow Notre Dame to better manage Christian Gray’s workload after two seasons of heavy snap counts and provide the staff with the flexibility to bring younger defensive backs along at a more deliberate pace—something they simply didn’t have the luxury of doing a year ago.

BREAKING: Notre Dame lands commitments from Alabama EDGE Keon Keeley and Ohio State WR Quincy Porter, per On3.

Keeley and Porter were five-star recruits coming out of high school. pic.twitter.com/8VMg5p3FOM
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 12, 2026

All in all, there are plenty of reasons Notre Dame deserves to be considered the favorite to win it all in 2026. Several national publications already view the Irish as having one of, if not the most talented, rosters in the country from a recruiting standpoint.

Combine that talent with an unusual level of returning experience and an influx of proven and high-upside additions through the transfer portal, and Notre Dame checks every box of a true title contender.

If there was ever a season to end the program’s long national championship drought, this is it. The window isn’t just open, it’s wide open.