Kirk Herbstreit Stands Firm on National Championship Prediction Ahead of 2026 Season

Indiana would take the loss in the title game under his format, with Georgia falling in the semifinals along the way.

Kirk Herbstreit stood ten toes down on his national championship pick heading into the 2026 college football season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Every college football preseason, television sets and podcast studios fill up with early guesses about who will hoist the national championship trophy in January.

Analysts sometimes change their minds mid-segment, while fall camps wrap up and rosters take shape.

Kirk Herbstreit and former NFL wide receiver Joey Galloway went through that exercise again on their latest Nonstop podcast together. The two ESPN voices ran through their final four College Football Playoff picks and traded a few changes along the way. By the end of the conversation, Herbstreit landed right back where he started the offseason. He is still picking Notre Dame to win it all.

Herbstreit sends Notre Dame past Indiana for the title

Herbstreit laid out his bracket after Galloway settled on his own picks. He put Ohio State against Indiana in one semifinal and Notre Dame against Georgia in the other. Indiana beats Ohio State in his bracket. Notre Dame beats Georgia in his bracket. That sets up an in-state title game between the Fighting Irish and the Hoosiers.

"Can you imagine the state of Indiana if that happened?" Herbstreit said. He picked Notre Dame and quarterback CJ Carr to win it over Indiana. "I got CJ Carr and Notre Dame winning the national title over Indiana," Herbstreit said.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman and quarterback CJ Carr (13) sing the alma mater after beating the Purdue Boilermakers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Carr threw for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. He grew up in Saline, Michigan, and his grandfather, Lloyd Carr, coached Michigan to a national championship in 1997. Indiana enters the season as the defending national champion after going 16-0 last year.

The Hoosiers open the 2026 AP poll at No. 6. They must replace the production and playmaking of Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with TCU transfer Josh Hoover at quarterback.

Herbstreit's pick lines up with what he has said for weeks. He picked Notre Dame to win the title on the Pat McAfee Show in July. He repeated that pick on the Dan Patrick Show earlier this month. Herbstreit, a former Ohio State quarterback, explained that the race would be tight before sticking with the Irish anyway. "I just think that there's so many good players returning," Herbstreit said.

Galloway also lands on Notre Dame after changing his mind twice

Galloway started with Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami and Indiana as his final four. He then swapped Indiana out for Georgia.

"Let me get Georgia. I just changed my mind," Galloway said. In his bracket, Ohio State beats Georgia. Notre Dame then beats Ohio State for the championship. It would be a rematch of the teams that met for the national title two seasons ago.

Galloway explained his reasoning in a few words. "Their attitude. I'm telling you," Galloway said.

Former Ohio State wide receiver Joey Galloway was a teammate of Kirk Herbstreit with the Buckeyes. They both now work for ESPN. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

With both analysts landing on Notre Dame, the two joked about Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman next. "Sorry, Marcus Freeman. We apologize," Galloway said. Herbstreit said he would text the coach directly. "I'm going to shoot a group text. Me, you and Marcus," Herbstreit said. Galloway closed it out. "Tell him we apologize. It's over," Galloway said.

Ohio State opened the preseason AP poll at No. 1. Georgia sits at No. 3, and Notre Dame sits at No. 4. Both teams are looking to unseat the Buckeyes and Hoosiers on Herbstreit's board.