Notre Dame Has a New Role in 2026: National Championship Favorite

How will the Irish handle the pressure of being hunted in a new way? Now, they need to act like a true national title contender, because they are.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman warms up during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Notre Dame Football always has a target on its back. Whether the team is expected to be a contender or have a down year, the Irish get everyone's best shot.

This target is what you get when you have the history and tradition Notre Dame combined with being an independent outlier in a sport dominated by conference power.

This has always been the case, but 2026 will have a different feel to it. Notre Dame is considered to be a true title favorite, and this changes things. The question is, how will the Irish handle this unique and hard-earned pressure?

Marcus Freeman has decisions to make

Marcus Freeman is no longer the new guy, as he enters his fifth year as head coach in South Bend.

This is his most complete team and the most favorable schedule he has had by far. As a result of this blend, his team is considered a title favorite.

How does Marcus Freeman handle this dynamic?

Do the messaging and expectations change regarding how he interacts with his players and staff?

Is there a higher bar of what is an acceptable result day by day in 2026, and if so, how is this going to be communicated to the group and become the new standard?

Another interesting part of handling expectations pertains to Marcus Freeman himself, who has suffered some major letdowns at Notre Dame when being considered a favorite, as evidenced by upset losses to Marshall, Stanford, and NIU - all contests where the Irish were favored by multiple touchdowns and laid complete eggs.

Marcus Freeman is Notre Dame's leader, and he must deliver in 2026, both in terms of messaging off the field and tangible results on it.

Notre Dame will be -21 point favorites or greater in their first 6 games this season.

Their 7th game is at BYU on October 17th where they'll be about -10.

— GetACLSports.com®--Sports Investor (@TheRealMrACL) July 6, 2026

CJ Carr hold the key to the Notre Dame season

With Jeremiyah Love gone to the NFL,

CJ Carr is the leader of this program on the field. In just his second year as the starting quarterback, he is expected to be excellent and must be for Notre Dame to make a deep playoff run.

For Carr, playing high-level, consistent football week in and week out is the goal, and he will be the straw that stirs the Irish drink offensively.

For just a second-year starter, these expectations are huge, but Carr is built different. He comes from football royalty and has an edge about him.

As a top-end quarterback prospect, you choose to come to Notre Dame in hopes of facing this kind of pressure. The pressure of being a Heisman and national title favorite. He's built for this.

The Notre Dame Football program is used to being under the spotlight, but not to this level in the modern era. How Freeman and Carr handle it will determine whether the Irish get their first title since 1988 or have another letdown season.