NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

So far this offseason, we've taken looks at teams and players from the past and ranked some of Marcus Freeman's best teams, the best offenses and the best defenses overall from 2000 to 2025. Now, it's time to look at the top five non-quarterback single seasons offensive performances of the last 25 years. Like all of the other rankings we've compiled this offseason, it was fun to take a trip down memory lane and relive some of the great moments from these offensive standouts. 

I evaluated several different factors when putting this ranking together. Overall production, impact on that season, postseason accolades and All-America status all played a factor in if, and where, a player got ranked. This was a very fun, but difficult ranking to put together. 

1. Golden Tate – 2009

Stats: 93 rec., 1,496 yards, 16.1 YPC, 15 TD; 25 att., 186 yards, 7.4 YPC, 2 TD
Postseason Accolades: 2009 Biletnikoff Award Winner, Unanimous All-American

We're really splitting hairs from Tate and Love who's sitting in the No. 2 spot on this ranking. Tate is the only Biletnikoff Award winner in program history. He also holds the record for most receiving yards in a single season by any Notre Dame wide receiver. That was ultimately the separator between him and Love, but the overall debate was extremely close. Tate was unstoppable during his final season with the Irish. He recorded nine games over 100 yards receiving and finished the season with five straight including a 10-catch, 201-yard game against Stanford in the regular season finale. Tate also record at least one touchdown catch in all but two games during the 2009 regular season. 

2. Jeremiyah Love – 2025

Stats: 199 att., 1,372 yards, 6.9 YPC, 18 TD; 27 rec., 280 yards, 10.4 YPC, 3 TD
Postseason Accolades: 2025 Doak Walker Award Winner, Unanimous All-American

Similar to Tate, Love is the only running back in program history to win the Doak Walker award this past season. He was named a Unanimous All-American and was a Heisman Finalist for the 2025 season as well. Love was the heart and soul of the Notre Dame offense and built on his spectacular 2024 season with big play after big play in 2025. Due to his spectacular season, the St. Louis native went on to be the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Despite sharing a backfield with a fellow first round draft pick, Love still accounted for 1,652 total yards and 21 total touchdowns through 12 games. 

3. Quenton Nelson – 2017

Stats: 12 starts, 819 total snaps played – didn't allow a single hit or sack 
Postseason Accolades: Unanimous All-American

When you talk about the 'Gold Standard' for offensive line play at Notre Dame, Nelson is the first offensive lineman that comes to mind. His dominant play in 2017 laid the ground work for elite-level offensive line play at Notre Dame. In 819 total offensive snaps, he didn't allow a single hit or sack on quarterback Brandon Wimbush and that wasn't due to a lack of competition. That season, the Irish faced Georgia, Michigan State on the road, USC, NC State, Miami on the road and Stanford on the road. His season led to him being named a Unanimous All-American and was an eventually Top 5 draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was also named the highest rated offensive lineman in the country at the end of the season according to PFF. 

4. Jeff Samardzija – 2005

Stats: 77 rec., 1,249 yards, 16.2 YPC, 15 TD
Postseason Accolades: Consensus All-American

Contrary to national narrative, there was a good amount of wide receivers that could have made this list. When talking about who set the modern-day (2000 to current) standard at Notre Dame, Samardzija's name enters the conversation. He set the single-season record for receiving yards prior to Tate breaking it in 2009. Samardzija also set the Notre Dame record for most consecutive games with a touchdown reception (8). At the end of the season, the 6-5, 215-pound pass catcher recorded 77 receptions, 1,249 yards, averaged 16.2 yards per catch and had 15 touchdowns. His performance in 2005 led him to being named a Consensus All-American. Samardzija was a big factor in Notre Dame's resurgence in 2005 along with quarterback Brady Quinn and a host of others. 

5. Tyler Eifert – 2012

Stats: 50 rec., 685 yards, 13.7 YPC, 4 TD
Postseason Accolades: 2012 John Mackey Award, Second-Team All-American (Walter Camp) 

Eifert joins Love and Tate as being one of the only players at Notre Dame to win a notable postseason award. The Fort Wayne, Indiana native is the only tight end from South Bend to win the Mackey Award due to his performance in 2012. Eifert was the heart and soul of the Notre Dame passing attack and was the go-to option for quarterbacks Everett Golson and Tommy Rees. He was also named a Second-Team All-American by Walter Camp. Eifert's 50 receptions, 685 yards, 13.7 yards per catch and four receiving touchdowns helped the Irish on their way to a 12-0 regular season record. They also played for the national championship that season against the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

HONORABLE MENTION

Julius Jones – 2003: 229 att., 1,268 yards, 5.5 YPC, 10 TD; Single-game rushing yard record (262) against Pitt 

Michael Floyd – 2011: 100, rec., 1,147 yards, 11.5 YPC, 9 TD; Single-season reception record, Second-team All-American (Phil Steele) 

Will Fuller – 2015: 62 rec., 1,258 yards, 20.3 YPC, 14 TD; Second-team All-American (USA TODAY), Semi-finalist 2015 Biletnikoff Award

Josh Adams – 2017: 206 att., 1,430 yards, 6.9 YPC, 9 TD; Mid-season Heisman candidate, finished with five games over 150 rushing yards (Temple, at Boston College, Miami (OH), USC, NC State) 

Michael Mayer – 2022: 67 rec., 809 yards, 12.1 YPC, 9 TD; Consensus All-American, Led all FBS tight ends in TD receptions, set single season tight end TE reception record at Notre Dame 

Joe Alt – 2023: Started all 12 games, Allowed 1.0 sack and five pressures in 386 pass blocking snaps; Unanimous All-American, Only offensive tackle in the country on PFF to rank Top 8 in pass blocking and run blocking 

—— 

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.

BECOME A MEMBER 

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @TTrow5
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos