ND-Navy post game Alma Mater. November 8, 2025. (Photo: Joe Weiser/Fighting Irish Preview)
Notre Dame doesn’t need another rebuilding year. It doesn’t need another recruiting class. And it doesn’t need another season to find out whether Marcus Freeman has the program headed in the right direction.
The Irish are good enough to win the national championship, right now.
That’s the standard for 2026.
Notre Dame enters the season with an experienced quarterback, playmakers throughout the offense and a defense that could be among the best in college football. There are questions, particularly at running back and along an offensive line that has already dealt with injuries. But there isn’t an obvious position group on this roster that prevents Notre Dame from winning it all.
So, is Notre Dame really built to win a national championship?
It Starts With CJ Carr
Start at quarterback.
CJ Carr enters his sophomore season after throwing for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions last year. He has already shown he can make plays when Notre Dame needs him. Now comes the next step.
If Notre Dame is going to win a national championship, Carr doesn’t simply need to be good. He needs to become one of the best quarterbacks in college football.
And he should have plenty of help.
Plenty of Weapons Around Him
The biggest change comes at running back, where Notre Dame must replace Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Aneyas Williams is expected to take on a much bigger role after spending the past two seasons behind them.
But Williams doesn’t have to replace Love and Price by himself.
Marcus Freeman has said Williams, Nolan James and Kedren Young have emerged as the top three backs, while all five running backs could see playing time. Notre Dame won’t have the star power it had with Love and Price, but it may have enough talent and depth to replace much of their production collectively.
Carr should also have one of Notre Dame’s deepest groups of receivers in years.
Jordan Faison led Notre Dame in receiving yards last season and should again be one of Carr’s primary targets. Jaden Greathouse will look to return to form after dealing with injuries, while Micah Gilbert has another opportunity to take a significant step forward.
Notre Dame also added Ohio State transfers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter, giving Carr multiple receivers capable of making plays rather than forcing the offense to depend upon one primary target.
The tight end room offers similar depth. Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan are expected to see significant work, while Jack Larsen and Ty Washington give Notre Dame additional options.
And don’t forget five-star freshman Ian Premer. One of the most highly regarded tight ends in the 2026 recruiting class, Premer has the talent to force his way onto the field early and gives Notre Dame yet another potential weapon for Carr.
There may not be enough footballs to keep everyone happy, but there certainly shouldn’t be a shortage of targets for Carr.
The Biggest Offensive Question
The bigger offensive question may be up front.
The projected offensive line of Guerby Lambert, Sullivan Absher, Joe Otting, Anthonie Knapp and Will Black has the talent to be very good. Ashton Craig is coming back from an ACL tear, and may be ready to replace Absher or Otting.
But injuries have already tested the depth. Matty Augustine suffered a broken foot, while Charles Jagusah remains unavailable.
For a team expecting to play 16 or even 17 games, that matters. Notre Dame’s starting five may be championship caliber. The question is whether the line can remain that way if injuries continue to mount.
A Defense Built for a Championship
Then there is the defense. This defense is stacked.
Boubacar Traore, Bryce Young, Armel Mukam, Francis Brewu and Keon Keeley give new defensive line coach Charlie Partridge a deep and talented group capable of creating pressure without forcing Notre Dame to manufacture it with blitzes.
That could become one of the defining strengths of this team. The linebacker room may be just as good.
Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa give Notre Dame two proven playmakers, while Jaiden Ausberry, Jaylen Sneed and Madden Faraimo provide quality depth.
If Viliamu-Asa remains healthy, there is every reason to believe this could be one of the best linebacker groups in the country.
And the secondary has a player around whom an entire defense can be built.
Leonard Moore is one of the best defensive players in college football. Opposing quarterbacks may simply decide not to challenge him, which puts added importance on what happens on the other side.
Colorado transfer DJ McKinney and Michigan transfer Jayden Sanders are competing for a major role at corner, with Sanders also getting work at nickel. Christian Gray’s ability to play nickel gives Notre Dame another talented and experienced option, while Adon Shuler and Brauntae Johnson provide additional playmaking ability on the back end.
So, Is Notre Dame Built to Win It All?
Put it all together and the question surrounding Notre Dame isn’t whether the Irish have enough talent.
They do.
There is no position group on this roster that makes you look at Notre Dame and say the Irish can’t win a national championship.
There are questions. Can Carr make the jump from very good to elite? Can the running backs collectively replace Love and Price? Can the offensive line stay healthy? And can a defense loaded with talent become as dominant as it looks on paper?
Those questions will determine how far Notre Dame goes. But this isn’t a team that needs everything to break perfectly just to contend.
Notre Dame is built to win a national championship.
Now comes the hard part.
Winning it, and it all starts September 6 at Lambeau Field.