Time for Notre Dame Football to Actually 'Leave No Doubt' vs Miami

There comes a point in every football season where the time for talking officially runs out.

That time is now for Notre Dame as the 7-1 Fighting Irish welcome to the top-ranked Miami Hurricanes to town in what could end up being one of the biggest games Notre Dame Stadium has ever hosted.

When Saturday gets here, it'll have been exactly seven years to the date that Notre Dame last knocked off No. 1. That came against an unbeaten Clemson team at the Stadium during the strange Covid-year of 2020.

Miami returns to Notre Dame Stadium with the No. 1 ranking for the first time since the "Catholics vs. Convicts" classic back in 1988.

Notre Dame's Chance to 'Leave No Doubt'

From seemingly the second the 2025 season ended with Notre Dame being left out of the College Football Playoff, we've heard the phrase "Leave No Doubt" echoed from just about everyone in the Fighting Irish football offices.

That was great and all when Notre Dame was blowing out the likes of Wisconsin and Stanford, but when it went on the road to BYU and lost, the season turned into a must-win on a regular basis for the FIghting Irish to keep their title shot.

Now, Notre Dame has no choice.

The College Football Playoff committee ranked it No. 11 in its initial rankings this past week with plenty of two-loss SEC teams ahead of it.

The message was clear: win or go home. There is no margin for error for Notre Dame the rest of the way and losing another close game against No. 1 Miami won't be enough - especially with megastar Malachi Toney being sidelined.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thoughts

Just like in 2024 after Notre Dame was stunned at home by Northern Illinois, there was no wiggle room allowed the rest of the way.

A "win or go home" mindset took over in mid-September and that season wound up ending with a run all the way to the national championship game.

Notre Dame wants respect, and that's understandable. However, as Lou Holtz, whom the program is choosing to honor this weekend, used to say, "There's only one way you get respect and that's by looking someone in the eye for 60 minutes, go out there and hitch up your trousers, and say 'hey baby, here I am now! Let me see you run through me now! Let me see you show some disrespect for me now with my nose on your nose! Let me see what you think of me now that my face is to you!"

When Notre Dame won its last national championship back in 1988, it had to go through No. 1 Miami to earn that respect nationally.

Notre Dame still has the chance to "Leave No Doubt" for the rest of the nation, with No. 1 coming to town.

If a serious championship run is going to take place again, then doing it against Miami 38 years later is a must.

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