ESPN Predicts Notre Dame Winners Of The 2026 CFP National Championship
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We're 81 days from Notre Dame's season opener against the Wisconsin Badgers up at Lambeau Field. Now that we're entering, what feels like, the bulk of the offseason and spring ball is behind us, major outlets like Lindy's Sports, Athlon Sports and ESPN have released their preseason magazines. Within their preseason magazines are their 2026 college football playoff predictions.
Unfortunately, some of the major outlets went chalk in their CFP predictions, which is very disappointing. But in one of the more shocking pieces that have come out from ESPN this offseason, writer Bill Connelly has predicted the Fighting Irish to take home the 2026 national title and end their championship drought.
"Notre Dame over Georgia [in the title game]," Connelly predicted. "I never know which teams I think the most highly of until I force myself to make some predictions. Apparently, 2026 is Notre Dame's year. You hear it here first. The Irish appear loaded on paper, and whoever beats Oregon in the CFP has to win the whole thing. It's the rule at this point."
It's interesting to point out that whoever has eliminated Oregon the past two seasons in the CFP has gone on to win the title, but that's the world we live in. Outside of the Irish making it through Connelly's hypothetical gauntlet that features wins over USC, Oregon and Georgia, the hype around Notre Dame making a run to their first title since 1988 has a lot of backing.
Head coach Marcus Freeman is headed into his fifth year at the helm, but it's his first season with all three coordinators returning, having a returning starting quarterback and two defensive captains returning to the team in middle linebacker Drayk Bowen and safety Adon Shuler. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock returns for his third year in South Bend, defensive coordinator Chris Ash enters his second year and special teams coordinator Marty Biagi is walking into his fourth season.
Notre Dame returns the most production of any team in the country and is lead by the nation's best cornerback Leonard Moore and a host of underrated skilled talent and talent in the trenches. This is the highest outlook the Irish have had along the offensive and defensive lines entering a season that I can remember.
Their schedule sets up favorably. It's not a cake walk, but it's also not a gauntlet. For the first time in Freeman's tenure, they will have the opportunity to pick up multiple ranked wins in the month of November and don't begin their season against a ranked opponent like they did in 2022, 2024 and in back to back games in 2025. On paper, the Fighting Irish are clear-cut contenders for the 2026 CFP national championship. Now, it's up to them to leave no doubt, handle their business and get the job done.
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