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The 2025 college football season has a handful of memorable moments. It was officially capped off by the Indiana Hoosiers going a perfect 16-0 and winning the national championship. Of course, the season also had its fair share of controversy.
At the center of one of the year's biggest storylines was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. After going 10-2, they were not selected for the College Football Playoff. After the decision was made, the program opted not to participate in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in protest of not being chosen.
While there were mixed opinions on whether or not the Fighting Irish deserved a spot, they will enter the 2026 season with a chip on their shoulder.
Notre Dame has serious national championship expectations for the upcoming season, from within the team and outside. DraftKings gives them the second-best odds (+650) to win it all.
During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit showed faith in Notre Dame's ability to get it done. When the topic of predicting the national championship winner arose, he chose the Fighting Irish.
“I’m going Notre Dame… CJ [Carr] is the real deal,” Herbstreit said. “I like Notre Dame.”
While the team faces high expectations as a whole, so does Carr as an individual. Last season, he completed 195-of-293 passes for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 168.1 passer rating.
Herbstreit's selection of Notre Dame only adds to the team's spotlight heading into the 2026 season. With Carr at quarterback and a roster determined to respond after last year's playoff omission, the Fighting Irish are looking to turn motivation into results.
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