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Photo by Arav Patel In a time where media personalities, networks, coaches, and fans routinely claim Notre Dame is “irrelevant,” the Irish spent four straight days proving the opposite. From the moment the College Football Playoff committee announced at roughly 12:30 PM EST on Sunday, December 7th, that Notre Dame would not be included in the 12-team playoff field, the national conversation shifted—and it didn't shift away. It shifted entirely toward Notre Dame. For the next 96 hours, every major sports network, radio show, digital outlet, podcast, message board, and social media platform centered its attention on one program. Even as Indiana stunned No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday night—earning the Hoosiers the first No. 1 ranking in school history—the spotlight remained fixed on South Bend. While other schools spent the week celebrating milestones or preparing for bowl matchups, Notre Dame was commanding the storylines. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! The Statement Heard Across College Football The moment Notre Dame released its post-announcement statement declining a bowl invitation, the conversation intensified. It wasn’t merely a headline; it became the headline. Prominent voices rushed to weigh in. ESPN’s Booger McFarland labeled it a “weak move.” FOX’s Joel Klatt called it “petty.” And then came a nearly two-minute tirade from Stephen A. Smith on First Take , turning Notre Dame’s decision into national theater. Ranting about independence, media rights revenue, and accountability, Smith delivered a monologue that instantly circulated across the internet. I didn’t even include the entire quote, but it hardly matters—the clip speaks for itself. What matters is that the list of reactions only continued to grow. Every major outlet you can name—whether they praised Notre Dame, condemned them, or simply wanted the engagement traffic—was talking about the Irish. Some argued the decision was a principled protest. Others said it revealed entitlement. But regardless of the angle, the effect was the same: Notre Dame owned the news cycle. Why This Moment Matters Notre Dame dominating attention is not unusual. It is one of the few programs in college sports that can generate headlines in-season, off-season, good season, or bad season. But what made this week different was the sheer duration and intensity of the discourse. This was not a single news blast. It was not a 24-hour reaction. It was a sustained national fixation—one that overshadowed playoff-bound teams, coaching carousel moves, and historic on-field results. And that exposure matters. For a brand often criticized for leaning too heavily on tradition and history, moments like these reveal something undeniable: Notre Dame’s relevance is not nostalgia-based—it is real-time, modern-media dominance. The Irish didn’t even play a game, yet they drove engagement metrics, dictated show rundowns, and fueled hours of TV programming across networks that typically compete for attention rather than converge on a single story. The Irish Tribune Numbers Tell the Story Nothing illustrates Notre Dame’s current media power more clearly than the analytics. Between December 7th and December 9th alone, The Irish Tribune surpassed 12 million views across Facebook, Instagram, and X , marking one of the highest engagement surges in our company's history. The last time we saw anything remotely close? Immediately after the Orange Bowl and leading into last year’s National Championship game—a window where interest naturally peaks. That interval included a roughly ten-day gap filled with nonstop playoff discourse. This time, it took three days . Notre Dame did not play. Notre Dame did not win. Notre Dame did not even participate in a bowl game. And yet, Notre Dame still pulled national-championship-week numbers. So, Irrelevant? Far From It. The “Notre Dame is irrelevant” narrative collapses under the weight of weeks like this. Programs without relevance do not dominate national media for four consecutive days. They don’t spark reactions from the most influential personalities in sports media. They don’t overshadow a top-ranked Big Ten matchup or a No. 1 upset. They don’t cause networks to reorder entire show scripts. And they certainly don't drive eight-digit social engagement metrics across independent media outlets. Relevance isn’t measured by playoff bids or conference affiliations. Relevance is measured by attention. And for four days—across platforms, across networks, across the entire nation—the attention belonged to Notre Dame. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle The “47 Years Since a National Championship” Argument Falls Apart Any time Notre Dame enters a major national conversation, critics reliably reach for the same talking point: “They haven’t won a national championship in 47 years.” It’s the seemingly perfect go-to line, the reflexive jab, the stat meant to end every debate about Notre Dame’s standing in the sport. But in the context of relevance, that argument collapses instantly. If championships were the sole determinant of relevance, then entire conferences, dozens of major brands, and half the current playoff field each year would be labeled irrelevant, too. Miami hasn’t won since 2001. Tennessee since 1998. Texas since 2005. Michigan, before 2023, went 25 years without one. The majority of programs hailed today as “blue bloods” have gone through decades-long droughts. Yet none of them face the same scrutiny Notre Dame does. Why? Because Notre Dame’s value to college football has never rested solely on the last trophy lifted. It rests on national interest , measurable attention, unmatched brand power, and the ability to dominate a conversation, even when the team is not on the field. Relevance is about impact, not hardware. And the impact is obvious: Notre Dame missing the Playoff drove more conversation than several teams making the Playoff Notre Dame declining a bowl bid produced more national outrage, debate, and ratings than most bowl selections themselves Notre Dame’s name appearing on a headline, regardless of the context, generates more clicks, comments, and viewership than almost any other program in America If a 47-year drought truly made a program irrelevant, then the media would simply ignore Notre Dame. There would be no tirades, no think pieces, no emergency segments on ESPN, no viral debates, and no multi-day news cycle centered around South Bend. Instead, the opposite happens. Every. Single. Time. What the “47 years” talking point really proves is not irrelevance, but the reverse: Notre Dame’s standard remains so historically high, its brand so culturally embedded, that people still expect championships from them nearly half a century later. No other program in America gets held to a bar that old and that high. That’s not irrelevance. That’s influence. The 2024 Push for the First-Ever On-Campus CFP Game in South Bend Another major blow to the “irrelevance” narrative came just one season prior, when a large behind-the-scenes push began behind the idea of Notre Dame hosting the first-ever on-campus College Football Playoff game in 2024. The idea of hosting the matchup in what some consider the "mecca" of College Football was an opportunity ESPN couldn't pass up. Before the bracket was even finalized, South Bend was trending. Major outlets published pieces envisioning a snowy playoff atmosphere at Notre Dame Stadium, and social media erupted with ticket projections, travel plans, and excitement over an in-state showdown that felt made for prime-time television. No other potential opening-round game generated anywhere near the same buzz. The fact that a projection —not an official announcement—was enough to dominate conversation shows just how powerful the Notre Dame brand remains. Programs deemed “irrelevant” do not spark nationwide anticipation for a hypothetical matchup, let alone one that would have made South Bend the center of the college football world. Even the possibility alone proved the point: Notre Dame still moves the needle in ways only a handful of programs can. Notre Dame Has Proven It Leads the Sport—Most Recently in 2020 If there is any doubt about Notre Dame’s influence on the direction of the sport, all anyone needs to do is look back to 2020. At a time when conferences were canceling, delaying, or hesitating, Notre Dame played a central role in keeping college football alive during one of the most uncertain seasons in the sport’s history. By temporarily joining the ACC, agreeing to conference testing protocols, revenue sharing, and a full league schedule, the Irish helped stabilize a chaotic national landscape. It wasn’t a small gesture; it was a pivotal one . Notre Dame’s participation helped validate the ACC’s season, allowed for high-profile matchups that carried the sport’s TV inventory, and signaled to fans and networks that college football could move forward safely and competitively. Multiple conference administrators later acknowledged that Notre Dame’s willingness to adapt was a major factor in giving the 2020 season structure instead of collapse. And that is the larger point: When meaningful change happens, Notre Dame is usually at the front. Whether it is playoff expansion, scheduling reform, media negotiations, or conference alignment, the Irish remain one of the few programs with the national weight to influence the direction of the sport. If the current model shifts again—as many believe it will—Notre Dame will be leading the charge more than anyone else. Irrelevant programs do not steady a sport during a crisis. They do not anchor conferences. They do not shape national decisions. Notre Dame does. Some may call the decision to opt out of a bowl game cowardice or petty, or even that the actions of their program are "egregious," as stated by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. But can change happen by sitting down and doing nothing? History says different. If anyone can and will change this sport for the better, it's Notre Dame. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Well, it seems like Notre Dame is still the talk of the sporting world following the controversial decision by the committee to leave the Irish out of the CFP. Since then, Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua has done the media rounds and a press conference to tell Notre Dame's side of the story. In case you missed it, here are the three main takeaways of Bevacqua's somewhat fiery press conference. Notre Dame feels as if the rug was pulled out from underneath them During the press conference, Bevacqua made it clear how he and the entire program felt about the CFP committee's choice to leave Notre Dame out of the playoffs after having them in through the entirety of the ranking season. He made it clear that it was this process he had problems with, not the teams that were selected instead of the Irish. "As I said yesterday, as I said on Sunday, we felt we did everything we could over the course of the season... We felt that the CFP committee, the ranking committee, felt the same way. You go back to that first ranking where we were 6-2, and Miami was 6-2, and they had already beaten us. And we were 10th, and they were 18th. And the only thing that happened from that point forward is we both went on these amazing runs. And through no fault of our own, we wake up and find out that we’re the odd man out, we’re on the outside looking in" Bevacqua said. Bevacqua was clear in his explanation that he had no issue with Alabama and Miami getting in, claiming they were both great teams deserving of the spots. Like most Notre Dame fans, Bevacqua and the team felt blindsided due to the questionable process the committee took to establish the 12 teams that would take part in the playoff. As he said, Notre Dame had been ranked inside the playoffs for the entire duration of the rankings, leading many to believe that as long as Notre Dame continued to play well, they would get in. It was not until the final rankings that it seemed like that was no longer enough to convince the committee that they were deserving of a spot. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! There is real tension between Notre Dame and the ACC Through all of the CFP controversy, Notre Dame has also found itself in the middle of more controversy regarding their relationship with the ACC. During Bevacqua's interview on The Dan Patrick Show, he made it clear that the ACC's campaign to get Miami in the playoff caused "permanent damage" to the two's relationship. In Tuesday's press conference, he went on to explain that the ACC's actions were surprising to many within the Notre Dame administration, given the mutually beneficial relationship Notre Dame and the conference have built for the last decade. "We were really surprised by and disappointed (by) was how the ACC conference really went on a social media campaign, in my opinion, attacking our football program... And it just kind of puzzled us that a conference that’s home to over 600 of our student athletes walking around this campus today, I guess chose to go down that road. I guess intellectually I understand it, but I certainly don’t agree with it" Bevacqua said. The Notre Dame Football Program and the ACC have been partners since 2014. This partnership has given Notre Dame an easier and more sustainable avenue to play power-4 opponents throughout the season, while still maintaining many traditional rivalries. For the ACC, it provides the conference with a national brand and consistent, high-level competition. Bevacqua was sure to illustrate the immense value Notre Dame brings to the ACC. "And the ACC is important to us, and we’re important to the ACC. And think about football for a minute. Those ACC teams wanna play us in football. Interesting stat, since 2014, when we started our football relationship with the ACC, if you look at stadiums, ACC games sell out roughly 23% of the time. When Notre Dame goes to an ACC site, it’s 90% of the time. When you think about ratings for ACC football games when they play Notre Dame, there’s a tremendous lift" Bevacqua said. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Notre Dame will continue to support Marcus Freeman by any means necessary Towards the end of the press conference, Bevacqua raved about Marcus Freeman and his importance to not only the football program but the entire university. “It’s tough to say he’s more than the Notre Dame football coach, because being the Notre Dame football coach means so much. But he’s more than the Notre Dame football coach. He’s part of this university. He’s part of the fabric of this university. So is Joanna. So are his kids. He’s everywhere. As you’ve heard me say before, he’s at soccer games, women’s and men’s basketball games, hockey games talking to students. He’s an amazing individual and an amazing leader, and we feel blessed that he’s our coach" Bevacqua said. This all came after being asked about NFL teams potentially being interested in Freeman. While Bevacqua understands the interest in Freeman, he assured the Notre Dame faithful that he knows how important Freeman is to the program. "I would never say we wouldn’t match anything when it comes to Marcus. Everybody has eyes on Marcus. College has eyes on Marcus. NFL has eyes on Marcus. I bet Hollywood has eyes on Marcus...It’s one of my main obligations and responsibilities to this university: to make sure Marcus wakes up every day knowing that he is supported and valued by Notre Dame. And I can say with 100% certainty he feels that way. Notre Dame is totally aligned around the importance of college football for Notre Dame. We’re totally aligned on how he is the perfect coach for Notre Dame" Bevacqua said. Now that Notre Dame has entered the off-season, Bevacqua stated that although the pain of missing the playoffs hurts, the program needs to turn the page to 2026 while still appreciating the accomplishments of the 2025 season. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

The nightmare scenario happened. Notre Dame was left out of the College Football Playoff in favor of Alabama and Miami. The result isn't what anyone associated with Notre Dame wanted, but the Irish were never truly in control of their own destiny. The issue? Their once-thought allies became one of the very elements campaigning against them. Let's take a look at the how and why. Photo by Arav Patel Following the loss to Texas A&M, Notre Dame needed a lot of help to get into the playoff field. Throughout the season, that possibility became greater and greater. Miami, once the No. 2 team in the nation, dropped two games midseason to Louisville and SMU. Teams began dropping left and right, making the path easier and easier for the Irish, but something happened that caught the eye of college football fans around the country. In late November, the ACC Football X (formerly Twitter) account began openly promoting Miami over Notre Dame. Not subtly. Not indirectly. But through direct posts and graphics pushing the Hurricanes as the ACC’s playoff representative, despite Notre Dame being a conference affiliate whose 24 varsity sports compete under the ACC banner. To many, it felt like the league was intentionally choosing a side. And that side wasn’t Notre Dame. For a program that has long walked a tightrope between football independence and partial conference membership, this moment felt like a crack in the foundation. Internally, shock gave way to frustration. Externally, fans and analysts questioned why a conference that benefited enormously from Notre Dame’s brand, viewership, and scheduling agreements would publicly campaign against them at the most crucial moment of the season. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua didn’t hide his distraught. “We were mystified by the actions of the conference,” he said following the announcement of the final playoff rankings. Bevacqua made it clear that the incident went beyond a simple social media misstep. He referred to the ACC’s behavior as causing “ permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame, ” a striking statement from the leader of a program known for its diplomatic steadiness. The Irish didn’t get the help they needed on the field, but the off-field dynamic may have hurt even more. In the end, Notre Dame wasn’t simply competing against other programs; they were competing against the very league many assumed was standing beside them. The ACC Agreement, and Why Notre Dame Must Reevaluate Everything To understand the weight of this moment, it’s essential to understand what the ACC affiliation agreement actually is. Notre Dame is not a full football member of the ACC, but it is tied to the conference through a unique and complex partnership. The Irish play five ACC opponents each season, share revenue from the ACC’s media rights package, and compete in the conference for 24 other varsity sports. In return, the ACC receives a substantial boost, from TV ratings to brand prestige to increased national exposure. The Irish have participated in the league since 2014, and gave up multiple historical rivalries by doing so (Michigan and Michigan State). The relationship has always been presented as mutually beneficial. Notre Dame gets scheduling stability and a home for its Olympic sports, while the ACC gets the viewership and national reach that only Notre Dame can provide. In 2020, when the pandemic forced Notre Dame to temporarily join the ACC for football, the league enjoyed its highest ratings in years, cementing just how valuable the Irish brand is to the conference. But all of that rests on trust. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! When the ACC Football X account began openly campaigning for Miami, it violated the spirit of that trust. Notre Dame was already fighting an uphill battle for a playoff spot, and seeing the one conference they are affiliated with actively push another team into the field felt like a betrayal. Instead of neutrality, or even basic professionalism—the league appeared to take a stance. This exposed the deeper issue: Notre Dame fulfills its obligations to the ACC, but the ACC did not show the loyalty traditionally offered to an affiliate partner. If the conference is willing to publicly undermine Notre Dame at the season’s most critical moment, what message does that send about the long-term stability of the relationship? For many within and around the program, the answer is becoming increasingly clear—Notre Dame must reconsider whether remaining in the ACC alignment is still in its best interests. Getting out of the agreement would be complicated. The ACC’s grant-of-rights structure is notoriously restrictive, and separating Olympic sports would require careful negotiation. But the playoff snub, and the ACC’s public behavior, may accelerate conversations that previously felt distant or theoretical. “But what we were surprised by and disappointed by was how the ACC conference really went on a social media campaign, in my opinion, attacking our football program,” AD Pete Bevacqua stated in his press conference yesterday. Bevacqua would go on to further discuss the benefits the ACC receives by Notre Dame being in the conference, exclaiming: “An interesting stat, since 2014 when we started our football relationship with the ACC, if you look at stadiums, ACC stadiums sell out roughly 20% of the time when Notre Dame goes to an ACC site its 90% of the time. When you think about ratings for ACC football games, when they play Notre Dame, there is a tremendous lift.” Notre Dame has options. They can remain fully independent in football while seeking a new conference for the rest of their sports. They can leverage their unmatched national brand to pursue better arrangements. They can even push for structural changes within the ACC itself. What is no longer an option is pretending that the relationship is functioning as intended. Notre Dame has fiercely guarded its football independence for over a century. The ACC benefitted from that arrangement, right up until the moment it openly promoted a competitor at Notre Dame’s expense. When the league aligned itself against the Irish in the playoff race, it revealed just how fragile the partnership truly is. The fallout from this postseason snub may last months or years, but one truth stands out already: Notre Dame must ask whether the ACC is still a partner—or simply a placeholder. And if it’s the latter, the Irish owe it to themselves to begin charting a new path, one where their postseason fate isn’t influenced by a conference that should have been beside them, not working against them. Exploring New Paths: Big Ten, SEC, or a Split-Conference Model If the ACC has signaled that Notre Dame’s interests are not a priority, then the Irish must begin seriously exploring what comes next. Fortunately, Notre Dame’s brand power gives it leverage that few programs in college athletics possess. Whether through a realignment of its non-football sports or a restructured football scheduling model, the Irish have multiple avenues available, and each one may offer more stability and respect than the current ACC affiliation. Option 1: A Football Scheduling Agreement With the Big Ten The Big Ten has always been the most natural geographic and historical partner for Notre Dame. The Irish already have traditional rivalries with Big Ten opponents like Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue, and their fanbases overlap significantly across the Midwest. A scheduling agreement committing Notre Dame to three or four Big Ten games each season could provide: Stronger strength of schedule metrics, which the expanded Playoff committee values Consistent rivalry matchups that drive national TV numbers A deeper pool of high-profile, nationally relevant games An answer to keeping USC permanently on the schedule The Big Ten, now expanded with USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, could offer Notre Dame an unparalleled annual slate. More importantly, the conference has the financial stability and media reach that the ACC lacks, meaning Notre Dame’s independence wouldn’t be jeopardized by uncertain or uneven conference politics. The agreement would also maintain Notre Dame's ability to travel nationally for games, which was a major recruiting advantage of the ACC schedule. Playing games in California, the Northeast, South, and Mid-Atlantic were always benefited from Notre Dame's traditional schedule, and the expanded Big 10 can still provide access to that. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Option 2: A Football Partnership With the SEC If Notre Dame wants to maximize national exposure and playoff credibility, a structured agreement with the SEC would do exactly that. The Irish already play SEC programs in major matchups, such as Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, & LSU. Those games routinely draw enormous ratings. A Notre Dame-SEC scheduling agreement would grant: Guaranteed top-tier matchups every season Instant credibility with playoff committees, who consistently prioritize SEC victories and scheduling A national recruiting advantage, especially in the South The SEC would almost certainly welcome the Irish brand with open arms. Adding Notre Dame to yearly broadcast windows would boost viewership, sponsorship value, and national attention—making this a mutually beneficial partnership. Option 3: A Big 12 Partnership The Big 12 has ruled in Middle America for decades, and despite recent realignment, it remains one of the most geographically diverse and competitively unpredictable conferences in college football. With the addition of Houston, BYU, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado, the Big 12 now stretches from the Southwest to the Rockies to the Midwest, creating a national footprint that aligns surprisingly well with Notre Dame’s historic scheduling identity. A Notre Dame/Big 12 scheduling agreement could provide several unique advantages: Access to emerging football markets in Texas, Utah, and Arizona Opportunities for high-energy, high-scoring national broadcasts, a hallmark of the Big 12 Fresh annual matchups that avoid repetition and allow Notre Dame to expand recruiting and viewership Unlike the SEC and Big Ten, whose top-heavy structures make yearly competition brutally demanding, the Big 12 presents a more balanced tier of opponents. Programs like Utah, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and TCU would still boost Notre Dame’s strength of schedule without forcing the Irish into a gauntlet of top-five opponents every season. Additionally, the Big 12’s increased presence in major recruiting areas—especially Texas—would help Notre Dame maintain and grow its national recruiting pipeline. Notre Dame has long relied on Texas talent, and annual games in the region would reinforce that presence. From a business standpoint, the Big 12 is aggressively positioning itself as a media-friendly, innovation-focused conference willing to take risks to increase exposure. Yormark’s leadership has shown a desire to modernize branding, scheduling, and TV engagement. Notre Dame’s national brand would fit directly into that mission, allowing both sides to create marquee matchups outside traditional conference boundaries. A Big 12 agreement would also allow Notre Dame to: Maintain independence without the political entanglement seen in the ACC Play in multiple time zones, stretching from Morgantown to Provo Create new rivalries while preserving the flexibility needed for historic ones While the SEC and Big Ten offer elite competition and financial stability, the Big 12 offers something equally valuable: adaptability and national reach without excessive demands on Notre Dame’s independence. For an institution that values control over its schedule and identity, the Big 12 partnership could become one of the most strategic options available. Option 4: A Revolutionary Split-Conference Model Perhaps the most intriguing possibility is a hybrid scheduling agreement where Notre Dame plays a combination of Big Ten and SEC opponents each season. For example: Three Big Ten opponents per year Three SEC opponents per year Remainder from strategic rivals (USC, Stanford, Navy) and rotating games This model would essentially give Notre Dame the strongest schedule in the country every season—without ever joining a conference. It would: Eliminate dependence on one league’s political agenda Guarantee elite matchups that boost playoff résumés Increase national exposure across both the Midwest and the South Provide flexibility to adapt as college football continues its rapid realignment In an era where TV value, competitive strength, and postseason visibility matter more than conference loyalty, such a model could elevate Notre Dame to a position no other program could replicate. An example schedule under this format: Week 1: Exhibition game (Most likely Shamrock Series) Week 2: MAC Opponent/Rotating Rival (Ex: Purdue, Pitt) Week 3: Washington (Big 10) Week 4: South Carolina (SEC) Week 5: Bye Week Week 6: Michigan State (Big 10) Week 7: Georgia (SEC) Week 8: USC (Rivalry) Week 9: Florida (SEC) Week 10: Navy (Rivalry) Week 11: Bye Week Week 12: Clemson (12-Year Agreement) Week 13: Ohio State (Big 10) Week 14: Stanford (Rivalry) This style of agreement would undoubtedly give the Irish a Top 10 Strength of Schedule (at worst) annually, and would help silence any critics regarding how 'deserving' they are of a playoff spot.  A Future No Longer Tied to One Conference Whether the Irish explore a Big Ten agreement, SEC partnership, or hybrid model, one theme is clear: Notre Dame has options that do not require being tethered to the ACC, especially not after the public undermining displayed during this season’s playoff campaign. The Irish have the leverage to create a scheduling structure that: Protects their independence Strengthens their playoff standing Enhances national reach Removes vulnerability to conference politics that they cannot control If the ACC relationship has fractured beyond repair, Notre Dame can, and should, begin planning for a future built on partnerships that respect the value and history of one of college football’s most iconic programs. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

For the first time since 2012, Notre Dame will be represented at the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York City following RB Jeremiyah Love’s selection as a finalist for the most prestigious honor in college football. Love, the only non-QB to earn an invite this year, will be joined by Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt’s Diego Paivia, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. Since its establishment in 1935, Notre Dame has been no stranger to the award, with the Irish being home to seven Heisman winners, tied for the second-most in the country. The Irish are tied with Oklahoma and the Buckeyes, who also have a shot of tying USC’s record eight Heisman trophies, thanks to Love and Sayin, respectively.   Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Below is a list of Notre Dame’s top three Heisman Trophy finishes since 1935: 1935: RB Bill Shakespeare (3rd) 1941: QB Angelo Bertelli (2nd) 1943: QB Angelo Bertelli (Winner) 1946: QB Johnny Lujack (3rd) 1947: QB Johnny Lujack (Winner) 1949: TE Leon Hart (Winner) 1953: RB John Lattner (Winner) 1956: QB Paul Hornung (Winner) 1964: QB John Huarte (Winner) 1966: RB Nick Eddy (3rd) 1968: QB Teddy Hanratty (3rd) 1970: QB Joe Theismann (2nd) 1977: TE Ken MacAfee (3rd) 1987: WR Tim Brown (Winner) 1990: RB Raghib “Rocket” Ismail (2nd) 2006: QB Brady Quinn (3rd) 2012: LB Manti Te’o (2nd) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle With Mendoza being a heavy favorite after leading Indiana to an undefeated Big Ten Championship season, it does seem unlikely Love will bring home the Heisman to South Bend. However, in an award dominated by Quarterbacks and the rare Travis Hunter scenario, Love’s invitation to New York should speak volumes about the player he is. And now the country will have an even greater opportunity to see what we all know, and that is he might just be a better person than a football player. This season, Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry for 1,372 yards (4th-most in ND history) and 18 touchdowns (tied-1st most in ND history). The do-it-all back added 280 yards and three touchdowns on 27 receptions. Love’s 21 total touchdowns surpassed Jerome Bettis’s 1991 season for the most in a single season in Irish history.  Regardless of where Love finishes in the voting, he will go down as a Notre Dame legend and, arguably, the greatest Irish RB of all time. It is a shame his season, along with the rest of the team, had to end the way it did, but the voters could bring some justice by selecting Love as this year’s Heisman Trophy winner. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame just signed the highest-ranked class in a generation when the class of 2026 put ink to paper last week. And if landing the No. 2 overall-ranked class for 2026 wasn't enough, they continued to hit the ground running with an early star-studded 2027 class, with four 4-star recruits already committed to the Irish. Today, they landed yet another highly touted recruit in 4-star CB Ashton "Ace" Alston. Art by The Irish Tribune Alston is a 5'11", 175lbs dual-sport athlete in both football and basketball at Anderson High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is currently ranked in football by 247 Sports as the No. 2 overall recruit in the state of Ohio, the 11th-best cornerback in the country, and ranked 115th-overall recruit nationally. This past season, he amassed 53 tackles (1.5 tackles for a loss), 16 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions, and averaged 10 points per game in 16 varsity games as a 10th grader in basketball. Before committing to the Irish today, Alston held 42 offers from such notable schools as Indiana, Ohio State, Tennessee, USC, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame, among many others. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

The results are in. Alabama and Miami in, Notre Dame out. Despite having the Irish as a member of the field a mere five days ago, they're now on the outside looking in. What in the hell happened? Where's the logic? Well, the "logic" employed by the committee is flawed. And a subtle switch they made in the penultimate installment of the CFP rankings set Notre Dame up for failure. Photo by Tyler Wong Now, to state the obvious, Notre Dame lost two football games, and the only reason they find themselves in this position is because of that very fact. When you leave yourself vulnerable to chaos by sowing the seeds of doubt in your resume, you can't be too surprised when chaos rears its ugly head at you. However, when there is a clear agenda set up by the committee at the 12th hour of the season that defies their entire argument up to this point, it's simply an inconceivable and irrevocable indictment on the state of college football, full stop. Let's get into what exactly the committee did this week to set up Notre Dame to fall on the sword. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! To start, the Irish were ranked ahead of Alabama and Miami prior to rivalry week, the last data point on the resumes of both Notre Dame and Miami, with Notre Dame ranked 9th, Alabama ranked 10th, and Miami ranked 12th. Notre Dame and Miami both handled business, with the Irish winning decisively on the road by 29 points, and the Hurricanes winning by 31, albeit by running up the score needlessly with their starters in the game. At Jordan Hare in the Iron Bowl? Well, Alabama had just choked away a 17-point lead against a 5-win Auburn team. They would ultimately win in what would be described as a "gutsy" performance by committee chairman Hunter Yurachek. With that win, Alabama, which has two losses and is sitting behind Notre Dame, would face Georgia in the SEC championship. Miami, Notre Dame, and Alabama would all finish the season 10-2. Despite another unimpressive performance in November for Alabama, a stretch that saw the Crimson Tide finish 3-1, with a loss to Oklahoma and two sloppy performances against LSU and Auburn, the wheels were already in motion behind closed doors to seal Notre Dame's fate. The release of the penultimate rankings sewered the Irish, and everyone with eyes could see it. Alabama (+1) Notre Dame (-1) BYU Miami After limping past Auburn in unimpressive fashion, the Tide inexplicably jumped Notre Dame in Tuesday's rankings. According to Yurachek, the fourth-down call to put the Tide ahead in the Iron Bowl was enough to sway committee members to swap the two teams. This was in spite of Notre Dame's 29-point victory over Stanford. In hindsight, this set up a championship weekend scenario that gave Notre Dame zero chance to make the playoff. If Alabama were to win, and BYU were to lose, this would place Notre Dame and Miami in a direct head-to-head scenario. The outside noise from the ACC, ESPN, and other talking heads had put enough pressure on the committee to swap the two teams. Notre Dame's only perceived hope was for both Alabama and BYU to lose and drop, ensuring that both Miami and Notre Dame would slot in. Alabama was obliterated by the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, losing by three touchdowns in a game that saw Alabama amass -3 total rushing yards. By far the most unimpressive and inept showing all season. BYU would get clobbered by Texas Tech for the second time, ending any hope for the Cougars to make the field. It appeared to be a best-case scenario for Notre Dame, and one that would see both Miami and Notre Dame make the playoff, with Alabama being excluded after an abhorrent month of football. It was common sense. Instead, the selection committee used their trump card, didn't drop Alabama at all, and swapped Miami and Notre Dame after BYU fell in the rankings. While we're at it, how come BYU dropped, and Alabama didn't? Well, the answer is simple - to ensure Notre Dame never had a chance. The play for the committee since Tuesday was to unseed Notre Dame. What started as a subtle swap between the Irish and the Crimson Tide was the first domino to ensure Notre Dame would not make the field. Alabama was protected because of their conference championship, BYU wasn't solely so they can move Miami up, and now Miami had head-to-head, so they swapped the teams. An incredibly gutless move that defied all other logic displayed by the committee, which had insisted that Miami and Notre Dame had already been compared. The real travesty was the committee bending the knee and not sticking to their criteria throughout the last month. It was unfair to punish BYU and not to punish Alabama. It was unfair to call Notre Dame the better team up until Tuesday, and then arbitrarily switch them with a Miami team that lost two games in the middle of the season after saying the head-to-head was only one data point to consider and not the whole story. The playoff committee has completely shifted the goal posts and caved to the pressure of outside noise. The outside noise is an entirely different story. The lobbying from ESPN pundits yesterday during games was blatant and ridiculous. Kirk Herbstreit watched Alabama get absolutely dogwalked by Georgia to punctuate one of the worst months for any of the teams in consideration, and then decided to throw Notre Dame on the chopping block while the entire country watched. It's one of the most shameless things I've ever seen from a network. Now, ESPN doesn't get to line their pockets with Notre Dame's bowl game money, as the Irish have opted out - and rightfully so. The bottom line is that Notre Dame shouldn't have lost two games. But the biggest takeaway should be that the system is broken. Notre Dame will miss the playoff, robbing one of the best 12 teams in the country of an opportunity to play for a national championship. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @LiamGaudetIT  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

No. 10 Notre Dame is sitting in an uncomfortable position on conference championship weekend not only because of their poor play to start the season, but also because of the CFP committee's lack of logic. Photo by The Irish Tribune Notre Dame has already completed its résumé, finishing the year on a 10-game winning streak with every single victory being double-digit triumphs. Last Saturday, the Irish seemed to solidify their upward trend with a 29-point win over Stanford, yet the College Football Playoff committee disagreed. Instead of rewarding the Irish's four-touchdown victory on the road during Rivalry Week, the decision was made to have Notre Dame fall a spot behind Alabama, whose seven-point win over Auburn was unconvincing at best. When asked about the change in the ranking, Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek claimed the Tide's 17-point first half lead and "gutsy" call on 4th down after giving up the aforementioned lead were enough to have Alabama leapfrog the Irish. Make it make sense. If the CFP committee acted with logic over spontaneity, the whole process would receive far less discourse. If the committee didn't overreact to Miami's loss at SMU or the Tide's loss against Oklahoma, then there would be no one up in arms about their rise that has been backed without a true understandable reason. This weekend ultimately should boil down to two conference championship games for the Fighting Irish: The Big 12 and the SEC. Let's quickly break down the outcomes for these games. BYU Wins, Alabama Wins Verdict: OUT Realistically, this would be the worst-case scenario for Notre Dame. A BYU win would have the Cougars get an automatic bid and skyrocket up the standings, which the same could be said about Alabama. Neither Texas Tech nor Georgia would fall out of the rankings, and Oklahoma would be the last team in the field. BYU Wins, Georgia Wins Verdict: OUT Any BYU win would be the death sentence for Notre Dame's college football hopes. If this situation was presented before Tuesday night, the Irish might've felt comfortable cracking the playoff under these circumstances. Yet, with Alabama's ascension over Notre Dame on Tuesday, the committee safeguarded the Tide. Barring an absolute blowout, Alabama would still be safely in the field. The Tide would simply fall behind BYU who would assume the No. 9 spot in the rankings with the Crimson Tide falling to No. 10. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Texas Tech Wins, Georgia Wins Verdict: IN This is the most favorable outcome, and the one Notre Dame fans need to be rooting for. A BYU loss would kick the Cougars to the curb in terms of making the playoffs, while an Alabama loss would certainly, at least, have them fall a spot behind Notre Dame. If the committee were to keep Alabama in the same position but drop BYU, it would be a ludicrous decision despite the fact that the Tide would've already had a matchup win against its conference champion foe. In the end, this is the outcome that has highest likelihood for Notre Dame to be in the playoff. Texas Tech Wins, Alabama Wins Verdict: CHAOS This outcome would make for the most stressful watch come Sunday morning/afternoon. If the scenarios of these two conference games were to unfold exactly like they did in the regular season, a sizable Texas Tech win and a close Crimson Tide victory, how would the committee address the last spot? Logic would point to the fact that if on Tuesday, Team A is ranked higher than Team B, and two teams DO NOT PLAY a single down of football between that night and Sunday night, then the higher ranked team would remain in that position. How can the feeling of those two teams be manipulated if neither one had the opportunity to show something different from the last time the committee voted on Tuesday night? The most sensible answer would be it should be impossible for Miami to be moved ahead of Notre Dame because neither team did anything this Saturday to change that outcome. Miami and Notre Dame have been in the same competitive pool for the last three weeks, and the people in Grapevine, Texas, have come to the consistent conclusion that Notre Dame is the better team. Yet, this finding is based on the assumed fact that the CFP committee would act in a logical manner, which is a trait they have yet to display. Ultimately, Miami and Notre Dame are both capable of winning a national championship. It is a shame this discussion has come to an either/or rather than both teams making it in and having the opportunity to display their talent. The 12-team playoff is still in its infancy, and there are certainly corrections that need to be made, but the committee acting without reason has been the biggest red flag throughout this process. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @ LiamFarrell_IT  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

The College Football Committee has released the newest installment of the CFP rankings just days before the conference championships are set to be played and Selection Sunday. Notre Dame saw itself drop one spot to No. 10, prompting many to consider a reality where Notre Dame is left out. Here, we'll break down the rankings and the possible results that see Notre Dame making it or being left out of the field. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! First, let's break down the most recent rankings where Notre Dame was jumped by Alabama. This may be one of the controversial parts of the rankings regarding Notre Dame. In this past weekend of play, Notre Dame, albeit sloppily, dominated Stanford in a 49-20 rout. On the other hand, Alabama squandered an early lead and needed a 4th and goal touchdown to take a late lead against Auburn. Strangely, the committee chairman referenced that conversion as a positive for the Crimson Tide, even one that may have decided the Notre Dame-Alabama argument. Yes, that play was a crowning moment for Alabama and one that sealed their chance to play for an SEC championship, but it is also important to remember that Auburn is only a five-win team. Should Alabama have even been in that situation? One other important factor to explain Notre Dame's fall in the rankings is the Texas A&M loss. Now, the committee never mentioned this, but the Aggies' drop in the rankings likely played a part in Notre Dame's decline. So, with Notre Dame not participating in a conference championship, they will act as bystanders as the final games before Selection Sunday unfold. It is safe to say that Notre Dame no longer controls its own destiny to the playoffs, so the Irish will be looking for some help on Saturday. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle First, Notre Dame absolutely needs Texas Tech to take care of BYU. If not, it seems almost certain that it would mean the end of Notre Dame's playoff hopes. Right now, BYU sits on the outside looking in at No. 11, but with a Big 12 championship win, they would jump the Fighting Irish. Texas Tech, even with a loss, would remain in, effectively pushing Notre Dame out of the final spot in the playoffs. If Texas Tech wins, the door stays open for Notre Dame to make it to the CFP. Now, this is not a certainty, but it is the only way for Notre Dame to remain in the hunt. That scenario would look something like a BYU loss either drops them or keeps them at No. 11. Either way, Notre Dame stays put at No. 10, and as long as nobody jumps them, they will safely be in the playoffs. Although the Texas Tech-BYU game is a must for the Irish, it is not the only outcome they need to keep their eyes on. The Georgia-Alabama SEC championship matchup is another game that could impact Notre Dame's seeding. It is still up for debate whether this outcome will officially knock Notre Dame out, but it is important either way. With a Georgia win, Alabama may not drop out of the playoffs, but it could put them behind Notre Dame, giving the Irish some cushion from a side-by-side ranking to Miami. That means the bigger the Georgia win, the better for Notre Dame. If the game is close, the committee may feel inclined to keep Alabama at No. 9, as they would not want to punish the Crimson Tide for playing in the SEC championship game. The last aspect of all of this is, of course, Miami. These two teams have been the talk of college football ever since the first CFP rankings came out. It is only fitting that it will come down to the final week. Like Notre Dame, Miami will also not be playing this weekend, meaning if there is any change, it will purely come from the perception the committee has of these two teams. Notre Dame and its fans can hold on to the idea that it appears the committee has already made up its mind on the two. The committee has ranked Notre Dame ahead of Miami for weeks now, so on a week that neither team plays, it would be hard to imagine anything changes. With that being said, it is not out of the question, however. This would really only be a scenario with a BYU loss. As stated earlier, a BYU loss could drop them out of the No. 11 spot, allowing Miami to move up a spot next to Notre Dame. If that is the case, both teams could be fighting over the No. 10 seed. The committee chairman has already revealed that Notre Dame and Miami have already been directly compared, with Notre Dame winning that debate. The question is, would that answer change if they were directly next to each other in the rankings? It could be that the committee did not use the head-to-head matchup in previous rankings because they could not justify Miami jumping other teams to pass Notre Dame. In this scenario, there would be no other team to jump, which could be all the committee needs to finally rank Miami ahead of the Irish. Of course, these are all hypotheticals. The only thing Marcus Freeman, his team, and the fans can do now is wait and see how it all unfolds. As a smaller note, Notre Dame can also root for Boise State to win its conference championship to boost the Irish's strength of schedule. Other than that, Irish fans are Texas Tech and Georgia fans for the upcoming weekend to ensure the best odds for Notre Dame to reach the playoffs and continue playing for a National Championship. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame have officially signed the future of their offense. And now, we can officially announce the offensive side of this historic class of 2026! Recruiting is a roller coaster ride for both the coaches and the fans who follow it. There is a lot of work for the coaching staff. They spend months building relationships with the recruits and their families, visiting them at their high schools, and hosting them for games on campus, all while preparing the current team for success on the football field. The payoff for all this hard work comes on signing day when the recruits put pen to paper and officially announce their commitment to play for the Fighting Irish. This year's class comes in as the 4th overall class in the country according to 247Sports, and is loaded from top to bottom with impressive talent on both sides of the ball. Get to know the class of 2026 offensive signees. Ian Premer - TE Standing at 6'5", 225 lbs, Ian Premer is built to be the next great Notre Dame Tight End, and his play backs up the praise. Playing out of Great Bend High School this past season, Premer racked up 734 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns, while also rushing for 620 yards and 14 additional scores on the ground. Premer's best performance of the season came against Liberal High School, where he hauled in four receptions for 126 yards and 3 touchdowns. Premer is a 5-star TE ranked by 247 Sports Composite as the No. 1 overall recruit in the state of Kansas, the 2nd-best TE in the country, and the 21st-best overall recruit in the nation. Prior to signing with the Irish, he held 26 offers from such notable schools as Florida, Indiana, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, and Notre Dame, among others. Ben Nichols - OT Ben Nichols is a 6'6", 335lbs interior lineman from Davison High School in Davison, Michigan. He is a 4-star OT who is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 3rd overall IOL in the state of Michigan, the 10th overall IOL in the nation, and the 201st overall best player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, he held 19 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Penn State, Florida State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Iowa, and Notre Dame, among others. Grayson McKeogh - OT Grayson McKeogh is a 6'8", 280 lbs. 4-star offensive tackle out of La Salle College in Glenside, Pennsylvania. 247 Sports Composite ranks him as the 6th overall recruit in the state of Pennsylvania and the 145th overall recruit in the nation. Before signing with the Irish, he held 15 D1 offers from such notable schools as Penn State, Indiana, Missouri, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Duke, Boston College, and Notre Dame, among others. Jonaz Walton - RB Jonaz Walton is an extremely talented, versatile running back out of Central High School in Carrollton, Georgia. This past season, he rushed for over 1200 yards on 128 carries and 14 touchdowns with an average of 9.7 yards per carry and averaged 100 yards per game on the ground. He had 31 receptions for 475 yards and 4 touchdowns. He is ranked by 247 Sports Composite as the 13th best player in the state of Georgia, the 11th best RB in the country, and the 118th overall player in the nation. Before signing with the Irish, he held 32 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M, USC, and Notre Dame, among many others. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Javian Osborne - RB Javian Osborne burst onto the scene during a sophomore season that saw him amass a staggering 2154 yards on the ground, paired with 39 total touchdowns and nearly 8 yards per carry over 14 games. He would continue to roll in his junior season, collecting close to 1100 yards with 21 touchdowns in just nine games. This past season, he rushed for 2,015 yards on 249 carries and 32 touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry. He is ranked by 247 Sports Composite as the 16th best player in the state of Texas, the 10th best RB in the country, and the 111th overall player in the nation. Before signing with the Irish, he held 42 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M, USC, and Notre Dame, among many others. Devin Fitzgerald - WR Fitzgerald is the son of former NFL Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Devin, a 6’2", 205lbs WR out of Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona, looks to carve out his own legacy at the position his father dominated for so many years. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 397 overall recruit nationally and the No. 4 overall recruit in the state of Arizona. This past season, Fitzgerald hauled in 82 receptions for 1230 yards and 15 touchdowns at Brophy College Preparatory High School, averaging 15.0 yards per reception. Before signing with the Irish, he held 32 offers from such notable schools as Arizona State, Clemson, Florida State, Michigan, North Carolina, Stanford, and Notre Dame, among many others. Tyler Merrill - IOL Merrill is a 6’5”, 340lbs interior offensive lineman from Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 7th-best player in the state of Pennsylvania, the 9th-best interior offensive lineman in the nation, and the 200th overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, he held 27 D-1 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame, among others. Gregory Patrick - OT Patrick is a 6’5”, 275lbs offensive tackle from Portage Northern High School in Portage, Michigan. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 2nd-best player in the state of Michigan, the 20th-best interior offensive lineman in the nation, and the 192nd overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, he held 23 D-1 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Penn State, Stanford, and Notre Dame, among others. Kaydon Finley - WR Finley is the son of former NFL star tight end and Super Bowl XLVI Champion Jermichael Finley. Kaydon, a 6’2", 195lbs wide receiver out of Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas, is a star in his own right and one of the top WRs in the nation. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 129th overall recruit nationally, and the No. 18 wide receiver in the country. Before signing with the Irish, Finley held 31 D1 Offers from such notable schools as Texas, Texas A&M, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, and Notre Dame, among others. Bubba Frazier - WR Frazier is a 5’10", 175 lbs speedy wide receiver from Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia. He quickly caught Notre Dame’s eye back in February when he clocked a 4.43 40-yard dash at the Under Armor Next Football Camp in Atlanta, sparking an offer from the Irish shortly after. In 2025, he had 42 receptions for 631 yards with 15.0 yards per catch and 10 touchdowns. He rushed the ball for 235 yards with 6.4 yards per carry and 3 touchdowns. Before signing with the the Irish, he held 23 D1 offers from such notable schools as Georgia, Clemson, Auburn, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, and Notre Dame, among others. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Brayden Robinson - WR Robinson is a 5’8", 160lbs, wide receiver out of Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Texas. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 424th overall recruit nationally, and the 62nd overall wide receiver in the nation. Robinson is a speedy wide receiver who has been clocked at 10.44 in the 100m dash. This past season, Robinson hauled in 72 receptions for 1,000 yards and 5 touchdowns in his senior season at Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Texas. Before signing with the Irish, Robinson held 49 D1 Offers from such notable schools as Miami, Arizona, Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame, among others. Charlie Thom - OT Charlie Thom is a 6’6”, 275lbs offensive tackle from Avon Old Farms High School in Avon, Connecticut. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 1 player in the state of Connecticut, the 36th-best interior offensive lineman in the nation, and the 372nd overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, he held D-1 offers from such notable schools as Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame, among others. Noah Grubbs - QB Noah Grubbs is a 6’4”, 205lbs pro-style QB for Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Florida. In 12 games as a senior, Grubbs threw for 2,593 yards along with 35 touchdowns. He completed 58% of his passes on 319 attempts and amassed a QB rating of 109.1 for the season. He is ranked by 247 Sports Composite as the 27th-best QB in the country, and the 377th overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, he held 26 offers from such notable schools as Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame, among others. Preston Fryzel - TE Preston Fryzel is a 6'4", 220lbs, tight end from Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 16th-best player in the state of Ohio, the 19th overall TE in the country, and the 347th overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, Fryzel held 29 offers from such notable schools as Auburn, Cincinnati, Indiana, Miami, Michigan State, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, and Notre Dame, among others. Sullivan Garvin - IOL Garvin is a 6’5", 300lb interior lineman from Allegan High School in Allegan, Michigan. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 11th-best player in the state of Michigan, the 53rd overall IOL in the country, and the 628th overall player in the nation. Before signing with the Irish, Garvin held 12 Division-1 offers from schools such as Indiana, Purdue, Washington, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame, among others. Dylan Faison - WR Dylan Faison is the brother of current Notre Dame wide receiver and Notre Dame lacrosse player Jordan Faison. Dylan, a 5’11", 170lbs WR out of Saint Andrew's High School in Boca Raton, Florida. Dylan, like his brother Jordan, is also a dual-sport athlete in both football and lacrosse. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 91st-best player in the state of Florida, the 121st-best wide receiver in the country, and the 857th overall player in the nation. In lacrosse, however, he ranks as the No. 1 overall player in the nation. This past season, Faison hauled in 53 receptions for 849 yards and 10 touchdowns in his senior season at Saint Andrew's High School in Boca Raton, Florida. He committed to the Irish on March 18, 2024, just one day after receiving an offer from them. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame has put together one of the most impressive recruiting classes in recent memory, and it's highlighted by some incredible talent on the defensive side of the football. Let's officially meet the defensive side of the historic class of 2026! Recruiting is a roller coaster ride for both the coaches and the fans who follow it. There is a lot of work for the coaching staff. They spend months building relationships with the recruits and their families, visiting them at their high schools, and hosting them for games on campus, all while preparing the current team for success on the football field. The payoff for all this hard work comes on signing day when the recruits put pen to paper and officially announce their commitment to play for the Fighting Irish. This year's class comes in as the 4th overall class in the country according to 247Sports, and is loaded from top to bottom with impressive talent on both sides of the ball. Get to know the class of 2026 defensive signees. Joey O'Brien - S 5-star safety Joey O'Brien was always a top target for Notre Dame in the class of 2026. It was a back-and-forth battle between Notre Dame, Penn State, and Oregon for the elite prospect. Freeman and the coaching staff never gave up on landing the highly touted safety and continued to recruit him until he signed with the Irish. He is considered by many as the crown jewel of the 2026 class. O'Brien is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the best player in the state of Pennsylvania, the 2nd-best safety in the nation, and the 31st overall player nationally. Before signing with Notre Dame, he held 28 offers from many of the most notable schools in the country, such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Penn State, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, and Notre Dame, among many others. Rodney Dunham - EDGE Dunham is a very dynamic playmaker and a great addition to the defensive line at the edge position. Dunham is a 5-star edge rusher at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 2nd-best player in the state of North Carolina, the 2nd-best edge rusher in the country, and the 8th overall player in the country. Before signing with the Irish, Dunham held 31 offers from some of the biggest schools in the country to include Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame, among others. Dunham is a very talented prospect who is sure to make a huge impact for the Irish at the next level. Khary Adams - CB At 6'2" 175lbs, Khary Adams is a very intriguing prospect and is already one of the best cornerbacks in the country. He is a composite 5-star corner out of Loyola Blakefield High School in Towson, Maryland. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 3rd-best player in the state of Maryland, the No. 1 Cornerback in the country, and the 24th overall recruit in the nation. Before signing with the Irish, he had 39 offers from some of the most notable schools in the country, such as Clemson, Florida State, Indiana, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Louisville, Duke, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Penn State, and Notre Dame, among others. He committed to the Irish on July 5, 2024, and has been very vocal about how much he loves the University. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Ebenezer Ewetade - EDGE Ebenezer Ewetade, a 6'4", 221lbs edge, is another dynamic playmaker on the defensive side of the ball, and a great addition to the defensive line at the edge position to complement the 2026 class with Rodney Dunham. Ewetade is a 4-star edge at South Garner High School in Garner, North Carolina, and is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 9th-best player in the state of North Carolina, the 13th-best edge in the country, and the 119th overall player in the country. Before signing with the Irish, Ewetade held 23 offers from some of the biggest schools in the country to include Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame, among others. Ayden Pouncey - S Pouncey is a 4-star playmaker on the defensive side of the ball, and a great addition to the secondary at the safety position. Pouncey is a 6'2.5", 160lbs, safety at Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Florida, and is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 12th-best player in the state of Florida, the 8th-best safety in the country, and the 81st overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, Pouncey held 47 offers from some of the biggest schools in the country, including Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, and Notre Dame, among others. Chaston Smith - CB Chaston Smith is a talented cornerback out of Knoxville Catholic High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who has a knack for the ball and seems to always be in the right spot, which often results in interceptions. Smith is a 4-star cornerback ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 7th-best player in the state of Tennessee, the 22nd-best cornerback in the country, and the 216th overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, Smith held 37 offers from such schools as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State, Oregon, USC, and Notre Dame, among others. Elijah Golden - DL Elijah Golden, at 6'4", 275lbs, is a big-framed defensive lineman who has experience at multiple front-line spots. He is a 4-star defensive end at Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, Florida, and is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 22nd-best player in the state of Florida, the 16th-best DL in the country, and the 154th overall player in the nation. Before signing with the Irish, Golden held 41 offers from many big-name schools across the country, such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, and Notre Dame, among others. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Thomas Davis Jr - LB Thomas Davis Jr, a 4-star linebacker, is the son of former NFL linebacker Thomas Davis, who played at Georgia, where he was a 2x All-SEC selection, a consensus All-American, and a 3x Pro Bowler at the professional level. Davis Jr is a talented player in his own right at Weddington High School in Matthews, North Carolina. Davis Jr is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 12th-best player in the state of North Carolina, the 14th-best linebacker in the country, and the 250th overall player in the nation. Before signing with the Irish, he held 33 offers from notable schools such as Auburn, Clemson, Indiana, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, USC, and Notre Dame among many others. Tiki Hola - DL Tiki Hola, a 6'2", 285lbs defensive lineman, has been another impressive recruit on the defensive side of the ball for the Irish. Hola is a 3-star DL at Bastrop High School in Bastrop, Texas. In his Junior year, he recorded 102 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 3 forced fumbles, and 9 QB hurries. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 48th-best player in the state of Texas, and the 40th-best defensive lineman in the country. Before signing with the Irish, Hola held 25 offers from such schools as Arizona State, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, and Notre Dame, among others. Nick Reddish - S Nick Reddish is a fiesty DB at Independence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Reddish is a 3-star safety ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 30th-best player in the state of North Carolina and the 75th-best safety in the country. He is a great addition to an already star-studded backfield with 5-star Joey O'Brien and 4-star Ayden Pouncey to secure depth in the secondary for the Irish. Before signing with the Irish, Reddish held 21 offers from such schools as Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Indiana, Cincinnati, Louisville, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Notre Dame, among others. Jakobe Clapper - LB Jakobe Clapper is 6'1.5", 215lbs, 3-star linebacker at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 23rd-best player in the state of Ohio, the 38th-best linebacker in the country, and the 475th overall player nationally. Before signing with the Irish, Clapper held 23 offers from notable schools like Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, and Notre Dame, among others. He was selected as an All-Star in the 2025 Polynesian Bowl. Kia has been committed to the Irish since January 15, 2024. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

After beginning the season with back-to-back losses, it was easy to consider Notre Dame’s year over by mid-September. Two and a half months later, the Irish have rattled off ten straight victories and have forced the CFP Committee to strongly consider Marcus Freeman’s squad for the playoffs. So, how did they turn this seemingly sinking ship around? When talking about “best losses” among CFP contenders, the Irish’s early-season faults appeared to have aged nicely. Miami finished the year 10-2 and is in a similar spot to Notre Dame in regard to being a “bubble team.” Meanwhile, Texas A&M completed an 11-1 campaign and appears to be a lock for the CFP.  Following the two losses by a combined four points, Notre Dame’s ten-game winning streak did not occur against nobodies. They handled Boise State, which is set to play for the Mountain West Championship this weekend, then fought off ranked foes in USC and on the road at Pitt. The Irish also did not just beat teams on this streak; they dominated them. Notre Dame finished the season with an average scoring margin of 24.4 points, the 4th-best in the nation, and ranked 1st across the last three weeks, defeating opponents by an average of 38 points.  Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Below is a table displaying how Notre Dame has statistically improved since the loss against Texas A&M: Stat   Value (through 9/13) National Rank (through 9/13) Value (through 11/29) National Rank (through 11/29) Total Offense 371.5 yards per game 80 458.5 yards per game 18 Scoring Offense 32 points per game 60 41.8 points per game 5 Total Defense 413.5 ypg allowed 108 312.7 ypg allowed 24 Scoring Defense 34 ppg allowed 117 17.6 ppg allowed 13 Red Zone Defense 87.5% 83 84% 69 3rd Down Conversion % 45.8 46 48.1 18 3rd Down Conversion % Defense 33.3 53 35.2 38 4th Down Conversion % Defense 75 110 45.5 30 Passing Yards Allowed 282.5 per game 124 213.4 per game 56 Passing Efficiency Defense 142.78 103 108.8 13 Rushing Offense 114.5 ypg 115 203.4 ypg 18 Rushing Defense 131 ypg allowed 68 99.3 ypg allowed 11 Sacks 0.5 131 2.92 per game 9 Sacks Allowed 2.5  111 1 per game 11 Tackles for Loss 2 132 5.8 47 TFLs Allowed 6.5 106 4.42 per game 28 Turnover Margin -1 107 +1.08 per game 4 Below are players who have had a direct impact on Notre Dame’s turnaround: CJ Carr While Carr probably does not deserve too much blame for Notre Dame’s early-season faults, he has steadily improved throughout the year and quieted any previous QB concerns. In the first two contests, Carr threw two of his six total interceptions and took five of his 12 total sacks. Across the past ten games, Carr has thrown 21 touchdowns to just four interceptions. His passer rating of 168.06 finished 5th among FBS QBs and 2nd among freshmen, behind North Texas’ Drew Mestemaker. Carr’s future is exciting for all of Notre Dame as he is on a fast track to become the first Irish QB selected in the First Round of the NFL Draft since Brady Quinn in 2007. Jeremiyah Love & Jadarian Price Whatever Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock gameplanned against Miami was truly a fireable offense. Credit to the Hurricanes for only allowing 3.32 yards per carry, but the Irish ran the ball 28 times in the loss, the second-fewest carries in a game this season behind Syracuse. The worst part is that just 16 of those carries were taken by the Irish’s elite duo. Luckily, Denbrock did not make that mistake again. However, the run game was flat against Texas A&M, averaging 3.49 yards per carry despite adding three rushing scores. Since averaging 3.42 yards per carry in the losses, the Irish have feasted on the ground, averaging 6.11 yards per carry and 221.2 yards per game across the past ten games. Love has had at least six games with either 100-plus rushing yards or multiple rushing touchdowns on the Irish’s streak. Additionally, he has averaged 7.5 yards per carry with 17 rushing scores across the past ten games. In general, the Irish’s rushing game is capable of opening up the playbook with both of these talented runners able to bust a big play at any moment. Jordan Faison, Malachi Fields, & Will Pauling Notre Dame fans knew what Faison was capable of, with his shifty abilities known for turning a seemingly small play into a big gain. However, I am not sure how many would have guessed he would be the Irish’s leading receiver before the season, with Jaden Greathouse returning and Fields entering via the transfer portal. Faison and Fields played relatively well in the losses, with a drop by Faison against Texas A&M the only noticeable error. Pauling started the season off the bench with a healthy Greathouse taking the majority of slot reps, and saw no targets in the season opener at Miami. Against A&M, the Notre Dame Captain caught both of his targets for a modest 13 yards. Once Greathouse was officially out with his injury, Pauling pounced on the starting opportunity and impressed with a five-game touchdown streak, proving he can be a reliable option for the young QB.  Anthonie Knapp, Ashton Craig/Joe Otting, Guerby Lambert, Aamil Wagner As mentioned earlier, this offensive line allowed five sacks during the Irish losses. Since then, the Irish front has allowed just seven sacks in ten games. As a group, you could argue Notre Dame was snubbed from being named a Joe Moore Award semi-finalist. The Irish’s one sack allowed per game finished tied-11th among all FBS teams. This is impressive for a group that has been highlighted by injury, and everyone has filled their role, but the big men listed above deserve extra praise in my opinion. Knapp has held it down all season at LT after allowing three of his nine total pressures against Miami and Texas A&M. Knapp has allowed one sack this season and is even better as a run blocker. Before his season-ending knee injury, Craig was playing relatively well at Center with a strong performance at Miami coupled with a struggling effort against A&M. Otting has stepped in, and the OL has not seemed to miss a beat with the sophomore having allowed just four pressures and no sacks across his six starts. When news broke in early fall of Charles Jagusah’s injury, questions immediately arose about the RG position. Lambert has stepped in and shown out all year after allowing his only sack in the Irish’s season opener. The freshman has allowed eight pressures across 329 pass block snaps this season. Similar to Lambert, Wagner has also gone on to have a good season after a brutal season-opening performance where he allowed four pressures, including a sack. Since then, the RT has allowed just three pressures with no sacks across the past 11 games. This group’s ability to keep their young QB out of harm's way has undoubtedly contributed to Carr’s success this season. Finally, I would add that the return of Billy Schrauth at LG would be huge for a deep Irish CFP run.     Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Drayk Bowen The LB Captain had Irish fans worried after four missed tackles at Miami overshadowed his eight-tackle performance. Luckily, this did not become a trend with Bowen finishing the season with a team-high 67 tackles and just 11 misses. Additionally, after recording no TFLs, sacks, or PBUs in the losses, the LB finished the year with 4.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and four PBUs. All-around, Bowen has proven to be reliable against the run, as a pass rusher, and in coverage. Boubacar Traore You could argue that Notre Dame’s premier edge rusher has not had a bad game this season. I would probably agree. Traore is one of the few Irish players whose performance consistently stood out. The sophomore finished the season leading the team in pressures (31), including at least one in every game played, and sacks (7.5). Traore recorded the Irish’s lone sack in the losses when he brought down Carson Beck in the season-opener. The edge rusher’s pass-rushing prowess has lent a hand to the success of the following DBs to be mentioned.  Christian Gray & Leonard Moore Notre Dame’s starting CB duo split solid performances in the team’s losses. Gray held his own against Miami despite facing 12 targets, recording two PBUs. Moore bounced back from an uncharacteristic performance at Miami with a lockdown game against Texas A&M, where he recorded two PBUs and an interception. For Gray, outside of the USC game, he has been pretty consistent. In recent performances against Pitt and Stanford, the junior CB combined for three PBUs while allowing 46 yards on two receptions across ten targets. Not much needs to be said about Moore. The sophomore CB is a finalist for the Jim Thorpe and Bronco Nagurski Awards, with five interceptions and seven PBUs in ten games played. The fact that we get to watch Moore for another season can not be appreciated enough. Adon Shuler & Tae Johnson After tough games against Miami and Texas A&M that featured five of Shuler's 11 missed tackles, he has seemed to turn a corner. He is rarely burned in coverage, with three PBUs and an interception this season, and has been reliable against the run. With DeVonta Smith dealing with his lingering injury, Johnson has stepped in nicely as a freshman and looks to be the next great Irish DB. After barely playing at Miami and allowing a big play against A&M, Johnson finished the year with four interceptions and three PBUs. The freshman’s return from a hand injury could be vital to a deep CFP run for the Irish. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Coming into this game, Notre Dame needed to do everything it could to impress the Playoff Committee by demolishing Stanford. Like it or not, this has become the way of college football where "style points" matter. Notre Dame came out of the gates swinging and appeared to be well on their way to another huge win as they racked up 35 points in the first half. It seemed it would be an easy night for the Irish. But in the midst of the dominance, Jeremiyah Love took a knee shot to the ribs and had to leave the game. As Jeremiyah Love lay on the ground, grabbing his midsection in extreme pain, Irish fans across the land were both angry at the cheap shot and worried about the damage that Love may have sustained while holding their breath, hoping for a positive outcome. Jeremiyah Love would remain out of the game for most of the first half but was seen smiling on the sideline before heading to the locker room, leaving many hopeful he was okay. He would return a short time later in full gear and eventually found his way back into the game, proving just how much of a warrior he is. Jadarian Price stepped right in for the injured Love and took the game over. This is what makes this RB tandem so dangerous and hard to defend, and arguably the best in the nation. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Notre Dame had about as good a first half as you could have, with multiple key plays resulting in a touchdown, but none bigger than the fake punt inside the Irish's own 20-yard line, when Josh Burnham took the direct snap and found a wide open Luke Talich, which resulted in an 84-yard Touchdown. Talich continues to get better each and every week. The game seems to have slowed down for him as he gets more comfortable and confident in his role, where he seems to come up with a huge play when called upon. Jeremiyah Love would return, but in a very limited role; however, the Irish would stumble in the 3rd quarter, suffering one of the worst quarters of football they've had all season. This left Marcus Freeman struggling to run the score up, as you could clearly see he was trying to do. That's not a shot at Marcus Freeman, as that has become the new norm for College Football, and this was Notre Dame's last shot to impress the committee before they set the final table with their playoff rankings. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Did Notre Dame accomplish last night what they needed to against Stanford? Well, that depends on how you look at it. Sure, anytime you score 49 points, it's a great thing and shows you can score at will on an opponent, but allowing a bad Stanford team to put up 20 points on your defense (when a team you already lost head-to-head to and are being compared to held that same team to just 7 points) isn't exactly a screaming endorsement. What this will all boil down to is whether the committee stays true to what they've said in the past about judging on the eye test. If they do, Notre Dame will be in after going on a 10-game win streak, mostly in dominating fashion, with their only losses coming from two ranked teams with a combined margin of only 4 points. With that being said, for the past three weeks, media pundits, multiple college coaches, and even the ACC social media pages have been screaming at anyone who will listen in hopes of bullying the committee into keeping Notre Dame out of the playoffs. Will the committee cave? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain: If Notre Dame is left out of the playoffs, they only have themselves to blame. Every person in the Notre Dame world said coming into this game that they had to at a minimum split between Miami and Texas A&M, and they didn't. Notre Dame was always going to have to play from behind and need some help along the way to make the playoffs. They did all they could do by winning 10 games straight, and now their fate lies in the hands of a committee to decide if Notre Dame is indeed one of the best teams in the country. Is Notre Dame one of the best teams in the country? In my opinion, absolutely they are, and they deserve to be in the playoffs, but if the committee decides that those first two losses of the season are enough to keep them out, can anyone really complain? I think if that happens, you just have to take it on the chin and place blame where blame is due, and that's on Notre Dame. This may not sit well with some, but it's an honest opinion on the situation. And now we wait. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!