Historic college football program projected to win national championship next season

A major college football program has been projected to win the College Football Playoff national championship next season.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) gives the ball to running back Jadarian Price (24) | Edward Finan-Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season officially ended on Monday with No. 1 Indiana's defeat of No. 10 Miami (27-21) in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

One common activity at the end of every college football season is the projection of possible results for the upcoming college football season. Many of these come in the form of conference rankings, top 25 rankings, College Football Playoff bracket projections and Heisman odds.

Bill Connelly of ESPN released a projection for the 2026 College Football Playoff bracket on Thursday.

In Connelly's bracket, the 2025 College Football Playoff: Indiana, Georgia, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Miami and Oregon. The five teams to make the way too early field that missed the 2025 College Football Playoff include Notre Dame, USC, Texas, Oklahoma State and Hawaii.

Connelly projected Indiana, Notre Dame, Texas Tech and Georgia to clinch first round byes in the 2026 College Football Playoff. Indiana was the only team he projected to lose its first game, falling to No. 9 seed Oregon as the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff.

In the semifinals, Notre Dame defeated Oregon, and Georgia defeated Texas Tech to advance to the national championship. The Fighting Irish win the national championship in Connelly's projection.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) scrambles against the Boise State Broncos | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

"I never know which teams I think the highest of until I force myself to make some predictions. Apparently, 2026 is Notre Dame's year," Connelly wrote. "You heard it here first. The Irish appear loaded on paper, and whoever beats Oregon in the CFP has to win the whole thing. It's the rule at this point."

A Notre Dame victory in a national championship game would mark a significant development in college football history. The Fighting Irish won their last national championship in 1988 under Lou Holtz, but that was a decade prior to the first official national championship game.

Notre Dame has appeared in national championship games following their creation in 1998. The Fighting Irish played in the penultimate BCS national championship game, a 42-14 blowout loss to Alabama. The other appearance for Notre Dame was against Ohio State (34-23), the first national championship following the College Football Playoff's expansion to a 12-team bracket.

The Fighting Irish figure to enter the 2026 college football season with chips on their shoulders, given how the 2025 season ended.

Notre Dame lost its first two regular-season games to Miami (27-24) and Texas A&M (41-40) but proceeded to win its last 10 games. The College Football Playoff committee selected the Aggies and the Hurricanes over the Fighting Irish, sparking outrage from the fan base and athletics department alike.

Notre Dame declined all 2025 bowl invitations in protest of the committee's decision. Additionally, the Fighting Irish have a Memorandum of Understanding with the committee that they will be placed in the College Football Playoff if they are among the 12 highest-ranked teams during the selection.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players after scoring against the Syracuse Orange | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images