Notre Dame projected as top contender for College Football Playoff return
With the season approaching, Notre Dame holds the second-highest probability of reaching the postseason, trailing only Ohio State.
College football analyst Kirk Herbstreit has identified Notre Dame as the premier contender for the upcoming season, citing the strength of the roster and the capabilities of quarterback CJ Carr. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Herbstreit positioned the Fighting Irish as his number one selection, noting that Carr is "the real deal" and expressing confidence in the team's overall composition.
The prediction aligns with data from ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), which ranks Notre Dame third overall. The model assigns the team a 74.4% probability of reaching the College Football Playoff, a figure that places them second only to Ohio State. Additionally, Notre Dame holds the highest probability of running the table during the regular season at 32.7 per cent.
Head coach Marcus Freeman is credited with providing a competitive edge against most opponents on the schedule. According to the FPI, only Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio State are projected to match the combination of talent and coaching that Notre Dame brings to the field. The programme retains key contributors from its previous deep playoff run, bolstering its standing as it seeks to rectify its absence from the postseason last season.
Notre Dame’s path to redemption follows a 2024 campaign where the team fell short of a national title. Despite defeating defending champion Indiana at home during the 2024 College Football Playoff, the Fighting Irish missed the playoff field in the subsequent season. Indiana enters the current cycle as the defending national champion, while the race for the title is set to begin in approximately one month.
Preseason projections indicate Notre Dame also ranks third in both national championship game appearance probability and national title odds. However, the team must still navigate a challenging schedule and prove its standing on the field. The outcome will determine whether the Fighting Irish can secure a return to the postseason and challenge for the national championship.
