Notre Dame 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 2026 college football team preview series with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) is joined by comedian and Notre Dame grad Danno Carter for the Notre Dame 2026 preview. Was 10-2 good enough for the Playoff, or did the committee nail the snub? Can Marcus Freeman keep the program rising with a 1-out-of-10 hot seat? Is CJ Carr ready for a Joe Burrow-style sophomore jump after 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns?
Does Mike Denbrock’s offense climb past 12th even without both starting running backs? Is Chris Ash sitting on the best secondary in the country? How does a schedule that runs from a Lambeau Field opener to a night in Provo to a November Miami rematch shake out? And where’s the value on the Notre Dame win total, CFP odds and national title chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Last Year: 10-2 And A Playoff Snub That Still Stings
The Notre Dame 2026 preview has to start with last season’s wound. First, the Irish went 10-2 and still watched the College Football Playoff from home (deck p2). Both losses came in one-score games. Then you look closer: 27-24 at Miami in CJ Carr’s first career start, and 41-40 to Texas A&M. Because of those two results, Notre Dame finished 0-2 in games decided by eight points or less (deck p3). Meanwhile, as Pick Dundee put it, they waxed just about everybody else on the slate. So guest Danno Carter, a Notre Dame grad, made the alum’s case. He argued this was one of the twelve best teams in the country. Also he felt the Irish had a stronger resume than a couple of the teams that got in.
Coaching Hot Seat: Marcus Freeman Is Going Nowhere
If there is a coaching hot seat in South Bend, it barely registers. First, the deck grades Marcus Freeman a 1 out of 10 on the seat (deck p4). His career record sits at 43-12. Then the program itself lands a 9 out of 10 on the ‘on the rise’ meter (deck p25). Because the rivalry results back it up, the seat stays cold. Freeman is 3-1 vs USC and 3-1 vs Stanford. He is also 1-0 vs Indiana, 0-1 vs Miami and 0-3 vs Ohio State (deck p5). One of those Buckeye losses came in the national title game. Meanwhile Carter lived through the Willingham and Weis years as a student. So he argued the recruiting hasn’t been this good since the Holtz era. Also he never wants Freeman to leave, NFL rumors be damned.
Offense: Mike Denbrock’s Group Was Second In The Nation In Scoring
Notre Dame’s offense was one of the best in the country in 2025. First, it ranked 2nd in scoring and 12th in total offense (deck p7). It also finished 17th rushing and 37th passing under coordinator Mike Denbrock. Then the good news: the Irish return 67% of that production (deck p9). CJ Carr headlines it at quarterback, with receiver Jordan Faison back too. Because both feature backs are gone, the backfield is the one real question. Notre Dame loses Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price in a rare double departure. So the hosts compared it to Arkansas losing Felix Jones and Darren McFadden. Still, nobody on the show is worried about running back at Notre Dame. Also both Dundee and Carter think this offense finishes better than 12th. From there they pointed to a 37-commit class headlined by #26 overall recruit, tight end Ian Premer (deck p10).
Quarterback: The CJ Carr Sophomore Leap
CJ Carr is the swing piece for this whole team. First, as a redshirt sophomore he completed 66.6% of his passes (deck p8). He threw for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns. Then the poise was what really stood out. Carter said he never saw Carr struggle for a first-year starter. Maybe the Miami game, maybe a quiet USC night, and little else. So the comparison the guest reached for was Joe Burrow. He pointed to Burrow’s jump from year one to year two at LSU. Because that leap is the ceiling, the read is simple. If Carr takes anything close to that step, this Notre Dame team gets scary.
Defense: Chris Ash And Maybe The Best Secondary In The Country
The defense might be the strength of this roster. First, the 2025 Irish finished 10th in scoring and 11th against the run (deck p11). They ranked 22nd in total defense and 56th against the pass. Then the returning production jumps out: 77% is back under coordinator Chris Ash. Ash took over after Al Golden left for the Cincinnati Bengals (deck p12). Because the back end is loaded, that is where it starts. Christian Gray, Tae Johnson, Leonard Moore and Adon Shuler all return. Colorado transfer corner DJ McKinney joins them. Meanwhile the front seven brings back Jason Onye, Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry and Boubacar Traore. So the class ranks 5th overall with #9 edge Rodney Dunham and Pitt transfer tackle Francis Brewu (deck p13). Also Carter called this potentially the best secondary in the nation. From there he put the whole unit in the best-defense conversation.
The 2026 Schedule: Lambeau, Provo And A November Miami Rematch
As an FBS Independent, Notre Dame builds its own gauntlet (deck p40). First, it opens against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. The hosts flagged that neutral-ish 50/50 crowd as a tricky September opener. Then the Irish host Rice, Michigan State and Stanford. From there they travel to Purdue and North Carolina. Next comes a trip to Provo, where Carter expects BYU’s best home crowd in decades. After a bye, Notre Dame gets Navy’s option in Foxboro. Then the marquee November rematch with Miami lands in South Bend. Boston College, SMU and a trip to Syracuse close the year. Meanwhile Syracuse starts former Irish QB Steve Angeli. So Dundee ran the table 12-0 in his walk-through. Still, he admitted the Miami game is close to a toss-up. Also he flagged SMU as the sneaky letdown spot.
The Bet: Win Total, CFP And National Title Odds
That brings it to where the betting value lives. First, the deck posts Notre Dame’s win total at 10.5 (deck p39). The Irish sit -800 to make the College Football Playoff. Then, by the time the guys taped, the number had already been bet up to 11.5. Meanwhile on DK Notre Dame sat around +600 to win the national championship. That price tied them with Ohio State as co-favorite. They also sat roughly +160 to go undefeated. So Dundee took the under on the win total while Carter leaned over. Because -800 to make the Playoff is unplayable, both guys passed on it. From there the shared read was simple. The value ticket is the national championship price, not the CFP lay.
2026 College Football Team Previews
Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
00:54 Welcome To The College Football Experience
04:04 Last Year: 10-2 & The Playoff Snub
07:24 Signetti, Indiana & Going Independent
10:59 USC Rivalry, Travel & The Ireland Game
16:41 Marcus Freeman & The State Of The Program
24:47 Offense: Denbrock, CJ Carr & 67% Returning
35:17 Defense: Chris Ash & The Secondary
38:16 Game Day South Bend: Bars, Guinness & Real Grass
46:22 2026 Schedule: Wisconsin To North Carolina
58:06 2026 Schedule: Stanford, BYU, Navy & Miami
01:10:14 SMU, Syracuse & The Win Total Verdict
