Notre Dame 2026

[23andCounting]

8 hours ago, Bobref said:

The emergence of Tae Tae as a budding star at safety was the writing on the wall.

And Brandon Logan is just getting started. They seem healthy in the defensive backfield.

[Footballking16]

Kudos to SC for taking a stand. There is absolutely zero reason for another P4 team to schedule Notre Dame going forward with the new MOU that goes into effect next season. Hopefully more teams follow suit. 

Edited December 23, 2025 by Footballking16

[23andCounting]

24 minutes ago, Footballking16 said:

Kudos to SC for taking a stand. There is absolutely zero reason for another P4 team to schedule Notre Dame going forward with the new MOU that goes into effect next season. Hopefully more teams follow suit. 

Rent free? Why not just worry about your Hoosiers?

[Footballking16]

3 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

Rent free? Why not just worry about your Hoosiers?

IU and ND are scheduled to play in a few years. Hope IU takes the same path. This is totally relevant in this climate of college football.  

[23andCounting]

Just now, Footballking16 said:

IU and ND are scheduled to play in a few years. Hope IU takes the same path. This is totally relevant in this climate of college football.  

No one is dropping ND as a result of ND's agreement with the CFPS. That would be financially foolish. The SEC and Big Ten are taking pause knowing that their schedules are already daunting enough, let alone adding the Irish. But again, it's a massive decision. Notre Dame brings in money. If anything, this may drive Notre Dame to schedule more ACC and Big 12 teams. Sure you'll have teams like USC who'll be "afraid," but I don't think that's the case with Cignetti. I don't think anything fears that man. Come one come all. Bring on the Irish. 

[Footballking16]

3 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

No one is dropping ND as a result of ND's agreement with the CFPS. That would be financially foolish. The SEC and Big Ten are taking pause knowing that their schedules are already daunting enough, let alone adding the Irish. But again, it's a massive decision. Notre Dame brings in money. If anything, this may drive Notre Dame to schedule more ACC and Big 12 teams. Sure you'll have teams like USC who'll be "afraid," but I don't think that's the case with Cignetti. I don't think anything fears that man. Come one come all. Bring on the Irish. 

USC literally just dropped Notre Dame because of ND's agreement with the CFP. There is ZERO upside playing Notre Dame going forward. You can beat Notre Dame on the field and in the end it not matter with the new MOU going into effect. Hell, had the MOU been in effect THIS year....Miami would have been bumped from the field despite beating Notre Dame on it. It's ridiculous. 

https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2025-12-22/usc-notre-dame-will-not-play-football-rivalry-game-in-2026

[Irishman]

He brings up a point I had forgotten. Riley mentioned he wanted to end the series a couple years ago. Good take from Keyshawn on this. 
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/usc-keyshawn-johnson-lincoln-riley-trojans-notre-dame-rivalry/ 

[23andCounting]

1 minute ago, Footballking16 said:

USC literally just dropped Notre Dame because of ND's agreement with the CFP. There is ZERO upside playing Notre Dame going forward. You can beat Notre Dame on the field and in the end it not matter with the new MOU going into effect. Hell, had the MOU been in effect THIS year....Miami would have been bumped from the field despite beating Notre Dame on it. It's ridiculous. 

https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2025-12-22/usc-notre-dame-will-not-play-football-rivalry-game-in-2026

So the committee isn't allowed to make a determination that Team A is much better than what they were three months ago? Funny thing is, most experts agree that Notre Dame made vast improvements, yet they still only lost to Miami and A&M by 4 points.

Okay, fine, just let the computers pick the teams, forget the committee. That would put Notre Dame somewhere around 3-5.........Top 12, lmao. Best team in the country is sitting at home. 

*****

 

[Footballking16]

3 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

So the committee isn't allowed to make a determination that Team A is much better than what they were three months ago? Funny thing is, most experts agree that Notre Dame made vast improvements, yet they still only lost to Miami and A&M by 4 points.

Okay, fine, just let the computers pick the teams, forget the committee. That would put Notre Dame somewhere around 3-5.........Top 12, lmao. Best team in the country is sitting at home. 

*****

 

lol

Edited December 23, 2025 by Footballking16

[PDB26]

6 minutes ago, Footballking16 said:

USC literally just dropped Notre Dame because of ND's agreement with the CFP. There is ZERO upside playing Notre Dame going forward. You can beat Notre Dame on the field and in the end it not matter with the new MOU going into effect. Hell, had the MOU been in effect THIS year....Miami would have been bumped from the field despite beating Notre Dame on it. It's ridiculous. 

https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2025-12-22/usc-notre-dame-will-not-play-football-rivalry-game-in-2026

You don’t think the committee would have found a way to get ND to 13 if that absurd outcome was likely?

[Footballking16]

Just now, PDB26 said:

You don’t think the committee would have found a way to get ND to 13 if that absurd outcome was likely?

Why the hell would you chance that if you're USC? Or anybody for that matter?

ND has their own set of rules and doesn't want to abide by anybody else's.

Stop giving them the time of day. 

[23andCounting]

14 minutes ago, Footballking16 said:

Why the hell would you chance that if you're USC? Or anybody for that matter?

ND has their own set of rules and doesn't want to abide by anybody else's.

Stop giving them the time of day. 

I understand USC's position. It's just too risky playing Notre Dame, especially late in the season. I would have dropped them too. 

16 minutes ago, Footballking16 said:

lol

Edit: Arguably the best team in the country. No disrespect intended toward good programs like Indiana and Ohio State. Hell, even an SEC team like Georgia for that matter. 

*****

[Sparty]

As an Irish fan, why are we still discussing the why ifs about THIS season?  

[gonzoron]

Are there any D-line prospects incoming?

I felt their line was undersized in 2025.

[Bash Riprock]

3 hours ago, Irishman said:

He brings up a point I had forgotten. Riley mentioned he wanted to end the series a couple years ago. Good take from Keyshawn on this. 
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/usc-keyshawn-johnson-lincoln-riley-trojans-notre-dame-rivalry/ 

I am not sure Riley gets to make that decision on his own.

FB16 is correct....now that SC is in a megaconference, there is no upside now to playing ND...ESPECiALLY late in the season.  I think the series would have most likely continued had ND met SC's request to play the game early.  Evidently, they couldn't make the schedules work.  SC has to travel enough playing in the Big 10, going east.  To put another long trip east (evey other year) late in the season is not helpful.  (not to mention the committee seems to forgive early season losses much more than late season losses)  Much to risk and most likely doesn't move their SOS that much.

Keyshawn...such a think tank!  We should all listen to his countless pearls of wisdom.  

3 hours ago, PDB26 said:

You don’t think the committee would have found a way to get ND to 13 if that absurd outcome was likely?

Then why was the new agreement added in the first place if it wasn't potentially advantageous??

[PDB26]

41 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

I am not sure Riley gets to make that decision on his own.

FB16 is correct....now that SC is in a megaconference, there is no upside now to playing ND...ESPECiALLY late in the season.  I think the series would have most likely continued had ND met SC's request to play the game early.  Evidently, they couldn't make the schedules work.  SC has to travel enough playing in the Big 10, going east.  To put another long trip east (evey other year) late in the season is not helpful.  (not to mention the committee seems to forgive early season losses much more than late season losses)  Much to risk and most likely doesn't move their SOS that much.

Keyshawn...such a think tank!  We should all listen to his countless pearls of wisdom.  

Then why was the new agreement added in the first place if it wasn't potentially advantageous??

I never said it wasn’t potentially advantageous, but the committee can and does do what it wants. All the stakeholders of the CFP, the P4, G6, and now Notre Dame, have some provision that guarantees an automatic berth if a certain condition is met.

Still, the provision is only triggered by ND being in the top 12 and it can be avoided by making them 13—it’s that simple. I’m not saying there will be some tinfoil ESPN conspiracy to keep ND out, I’m only saying a ND team with a marginal resume, like the 2025 team, risks being in the drop zone regardless of an agreement to give ND an automatic qualifier of its own. It’s very easy to see how different ND’s ranking might have been relative to Miami if the committee was operating with this provision in mind.

Edited December 23, 2025 by PDB26

[PDB26]

8 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

I never said it wasn’t potentially advantageous, but the committee can and does do what it wants. All the stakeholders of the CFP, the P4, G6, and now Notre Dame, have some provision that guarantees an automatic berth if a certain condition is met.

Still, the provision is only triggered by ND being in the top 12 and it can be avoided by making them 13—it’s that simple. I’m not saying there will be some tinfoil ESPN conspiracy to keep ND out, I’m only saying a ND team with a marginal resume, like the 2025 team, risks being in the drop zone regardless of an agreement to give ND an automatic qualifier of its own. It’s very easy to see how different ND’s ranking might have been relative to Miami if the committee was operating with this provision in mind.

Furthermore, there should not be any automatic qualifiers.

[gonzoron]

1 minute ago, PDB26 said:

Furthermore, there should not be any automatic qualifiers.

Automatic D-line qualifiers? Didn't know that was a thing.

[PDB26]

54 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

Automatic D-line qualifiers? Didn't know that was a thing.

I think the kid from Texas a 300 pounder. They have a couple high end edge guys in the class, too. 

[Bash Riprock]

Bill Plaschke,, writer for the LA Times goes full nuclear on ND for the series ending with USC 

 

[Footballking16]

8 hours ago, PDB26 said:

Furthermore, there should not be any automatic qualifiers.

Why? In every other sport, in every other league, winning your conference/division/group grants you admission to the postseason. What’s the point of playing a regular season then?

Join a conference, it’s 2025, soon to be 2026.

[gonzoron]

1 hour ago, Footballking16 said:

Why? In every other sport, in every other league, winning your conference/division/group grants you admission to the postseason. What’s the point of playing a regular season then?

Join a conference, it’s 2025, soon to be 2026.

I think your needle is stuck in a locked groove at the end of the record.

 

[Bobref]

23 hours ago, Footballking16 said:

USC literally just dropped Notre Dame because of ND's agreement with the CFP. There is ZERO upside playing Notre Dame going forward. You can beat Notre Dame on the field and in the end it not matter with the new MOU going into effect. Hell, had the MOU been in effect THIS year....Miami would have been bumped from the field despite beating Notre Dame on it. It's ridiculous. 

https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2025-12-22/usc-notre-dame-will-not-play-football-rivalry-game-in-2026

You should probably feel pretty stupid about now, if you had any self-awareness. Same for @Komets2727.

Edited December 24, 2025 by Bobref

[23andCounting]

11 hours ago, Footballking16 said:

Why? In every other sport, in every other league, winning your conference/division/group grants you admission to the postseason. What’s the point of playing a regular season then?

Join a conference, it’s 2025, soon to be 2026.

Really two parts as to why everyone wants Notre Dame to join a conference. 

1. The joke is on all teams that are in a conference. They're jealous that Notre Dame can handle things on their own. 

2. No one wants to play in the conference championship game. Jealous that Notre Dame doesn't have to. 

Everyone hates the outlier. One of the many reasons that I love them. 

[Bash Riprock]

7 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

Really two parts as to why everyone wants Notre Dame to join a conference. 

1. The joke is on all teams that are in a conference. They're jealous that Notre Dame can handle things on their own. 

2. No one wants to play in the conference championship game. Jealous that Notre Dame doesn't have to. 

Everyone hates the outlier. One of the many reasons that I love them. 

So the joke is on all except 2 teams??  ND and UConn.  Interesting logic…