Notre Dame 2026

[Komets2727]

5 hours ago, Muda69 said:

Isn't a "natty" some brand of beer?  And why would Notre Dame want to win some cheap swill?

 

About the only thing they can win now…

[23andCounting]

3 hours ago, Komets2727 said:

About the only thing they can win now…

Honest question. Wouldn't you rather call yourself champions having had to go through Notre Dame? We all know there's something missing in this playoff. 

[Komets2727]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

Honest question. Wouldn't you rather call yourself champions having had to go through Notre Dame? We all know there's something missing in this playoff. 

I think Notre Dame is a top 12 team, but no, doesn’t matter to me who IU plays. For the record, I don’t think the Irish are a top 4 team and therefore I will be just fine playing whoever we have to

[23andCounting]

11 minutes ago, Komets2727 said:

I think Notre Dame is a top 12 team, but no, doesn’t matter to me who IU plays. For the record, I don’t think the Irish are a top 4 team and therefore I will be just fine playing whoever we have to

Fair. At least give me Top 6 though. C'mon. 

[Komets2727]

9 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

Fair. At least give me Top 6 though. C'mon. 

My complaint with that is the Irish lost to both the 7th and 10th seeds on the field in A&M and Miami

[GOLDRUSH1985]

14 minutes ago, Komets2727 said:

My complaint with that is the Irish lost to both the 7th and 10th seeds on the field in A&M and Miami

And Georgia lost to Bama early in the year . Did you see what Georgia did to Bama at the End of the year ?

[23andCounting]

10 minutes ago, Komets2727 said:

My complaint with that is the Irish lost to both the 7th and 10th seeds on the field in A&M and Miami

A lot of smart guys site those losses being Chris Ash and CJ Carr's first games with the Irish. I get the two losses. But the committee has been touting "eye test" for weeks. Saying Notre Dame passes the eye test. They had a lot of pressure on them from ESPN. I understand that, so I really don't hold a grudge against them. This is clearly an ESPN thing. They own the CFPS and SEC media rights. That's what this comes down to. It is what it is. It's Christmas and football certainly isn't the be all end all.

[GOLDRUSH1985]

2 hours ago, 23andCounting said:

Honest question. Wouldn't you rather call yourself champions having had to go through Notre Dame? We all know there's something missing in this playoff. 

At least most major media outlets agree that ND should be there . There are a few keyboard bandits on the GID who disagree . 

[23andCounting]

5 minutes ago, GOLDRUSH1985 said:

At least most major media outlets agree that ND should be there . There are a few keyboard bandits on the GID who disagree . 

They're even saying that Notre Dame would have been a threat to win the whole thing. I'm over it. It's an ESPN thing. It's like politics. It's never a level playing field. 

[Komets2727]

13 minutes ago, GOLDRUSH1985 said:

At least most major media outlets agree that ND should be there . There are a few keyboard bandits on the GID who disagree . 

Listen, while I do believe the Irish are one of the 12 best teams, I also believe Tulane and James Madison are not. I think all of this will bring about change to the CFP quickly, hoping by next year. 16 teams. 

[PDB26]

9 minutes ago, Komets2727 said:

Listen, while I do believe the Irish are one of the 12 best teams, I also believe Tulane and James Madison are not. I think all of this will bring about change to the CFP quickly, hoping by next year. 16 teams. 

I really think they got it right with 12. And think, despite everything else that happened, we’re—likely—an ACC tiebreaker away from ND being in the playoff alongside conference champion Miami and conference champion Tulane.

[Komets2727]

8 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

I really think they got it right with 12. And think, despite everything else that happened, we’re—likely—an ACC tiebreaker away from ND being in the playoff alongside conference champion Miami and conference champion Tulane.

How can they get it right with Tulane in the playoff in your scenario? They aren’t a top 30 much less a top 12 team

[PDB26]

4 minutes ago, Komets2727 said:

How can they get it right with Tulane in the playoff in your scenario? They aren’t a top 30 much less a top 12 team

Twelve is the right number. I never said the conference champion qualifier was correct. It should be the top-12 ranked teams. I think you dilute the playoff unnecessarily by expanding to sixteen just to get every marginal contender from p4 conferences qualified. 

[gonzoron]

This is the 2026 thread. Why are you bozos still talking about 2025? There is a different conversation for that. Go there. Idiots obsessed with Notre Dame 2025 are the reason I started one for 2026. Lets stay on topic.

[Bobref]

Interesting fact for 2026: 26 of ND’s 27 NIL signees are early enrollment. This means they’ll be here for the off season program and Spring ball.

[Bash Riprock]

1 hour ago, GOLDRUSH1985 said:

And Georgia lost to Bama early in the year . Did you see what Georgia did to Bama at the End of the year ?

UGA faced a tougher schedule to get better as the season progressed. Big difference with their respective SOS. 

[temptation]

18 minutes ago, Bobref said:

Interesting fact for 2026: 26 of ND’s 27 NIL signees are early enrollment. This means they’ll be here for the off season program and Spring ball.

Coulda traveled to the bowl game too…damn.

[23andCounting]

10 hours ago, temptation said:

Coulda traveled to the bowl game too…damn.

Meh. Teaching their men not to settle for second best. Those kids didn't come to Notre Dame to get slapped in the face with a meaningless bowl.  I 100% stand by the decision a week and a half later. 

[temptation]

46 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

Meh. Teaching their men not to settle for second best. Those kids didn't come to Notre Dame to get slapped in the face with a meaningless bowl.  I 100% stand by the decision a week and a half later. 

Instead of settling for second best; they were offended at being 13th best lol.

[23andCounting]

2 hours ago, temptation said:

Instead of settling for second best; they were offended at being 13th best lol.

Thirteenth, lol, no thanks. 

[Coach Nowlin]

13 hours ago, Bobref said:

Interesting fact for 2026: 26 of ND’s 27 NIL signees are early enrollment. This means they’ll be here for the off season program and Spring ball.

seems to be the trend to any P4 school, even most of Purdue guys are Mid year now 

[Bash Riprock]

42 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

seems to be the trend to any P4 school, even most of Purdue guys are Mid year now 

Coach!! See my questions in the Bears thread!! Give us an update on the experience!!

[GOLDRUSH1985]

On 12/15/2025 at 9:16 PM, temptation said:

Coulda traveled to the bowl game too…damn.

I'm sure they will in 2026. 

[Bobref]

So far, only 3 Irish have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2: 2nd string QB Kenny Minchey, preferred walk-on QB Anthony Rezac, and oft-injured backup CB Chance Tucker.

Minchey is a good player. Rezac hasn’t seen any action in his 2 years at ND. Tucker played some in 2023, but was out all of 2024 with an ACL, and broke his fibula early in 2025. 

Edited December 18, 2025 by Bobref

[23andCounting]

4 hours ago, Bobref said:

So far, only 3 Irish have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2: 2nd string QB Kenny Minchey, preferred walk-on QB Anthony Rezac, and oft-injured backup CB Chance Tucker.

Minchey is a good player. Rezac hasn’t seen any action in his 2 years at ND. Tucker played some in 2023, but was out all of 2024 with an ACL, and broke his fibula early in 2025. 

Signs of a stable program. I think it helps that kids still come to the university with the intention of getting a degree, which I'm not sure is the case for many 4 & 5 star athletes at some of the other programs.