The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and head coach Marcus Freeman were one of the biggest storylines of the 2025 college football season.
At the beginning of the season, the team got off to a slow start. They lost to the Miami Hurricanes on the road by a final score of 27-24 and backed that up with a 41-40 loss at home against Texas A&M.
Despite losing their first two games of the season, the Fighting Irish rallied and won 10 straight games to close out the year. Many felt that they should be included in the College Football Playoff, but that wasn’t the case. Notre Dame came up short of that goal.
Immediately following the news that the Fighting Irish weren’t selected to the CFP, Freeman and company made the decision to pass on a bowl game invite.
With the 2026 college season coming up quickly, Freeman took some time to get brutally honest about missing the College Football Playoff last season.
Marcus Freeman Speaks Candidly About Notre Dame Missing the CFP
What Freeman had to say was a clear message to the rest of the nation for the 2026 season. He wants his team to leave no doubt that they belong in the playoff.
“We left doubt. So don’t blame somebody else for the situation that we were in,” Freeman said. “We have to leave no doubt. In order to do that, you gotta leave no doubt today.”
That is a clear indication that Notre Dame will enter the 2026 season with a chip on its shoulder looking to make a statement. Freeman and the Fighting Irish will look to dominate and give the committee no reason to think that they shouldn’t be a playoff team.
On paper, the teams looks like a legitimate National Championship contender.
What Should Fans Expect From Notre Dame in 2026?
Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports has placed the Notre Dame win-loss over/under at 11.5. It’s a clear sign that the Fighting Irish are expected to be a top-tier contender.
They will have to overcome the loss of star running back Jeremiyah Love to the NFL, but quarterback CJ Carr is back and ready to take the next step.
With Carr leading the way and a talented offensive unit around him, Notre Dame should be among the nation’s most lethal offenses. Freeman will need to make sure the defense plays up to those standards as well.
At the end of the day, the Fighting Irish should be a championship contending football team. They will need to get off to a strong start and maintain, but Freeman and company clearly have extra motivation after their snub last season.
Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman Gets Brutally Honest About Missing CFP