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If Notre Dame ends their near 40-year title drought in 2026, you will hear little to no complaining from my mouth about who the Irish played on route to their 12th national championship. Having said that, there is an ideal path for head coach Marcus Freeman to navigate if this were to happen this fall. No, this isn't an article talking about how I hope the Irish get the G5 bid in the first round, a two-loss team in the second round and only have to play one of the teams from either the Big 10 or the SEC in the College Football Playoffs. 

We get a lot of questions on show and on the premium boards on what our 'dream playoff scenario' would be. After giving it some thought, there's a handful of teams that would bolster Notre Dame's overall resume if they were to defeat them on their way to winning the title on January 25, 2027. But for the Irish, their journey to redemption starts in the regular season. 

MIAMI HURRICANES

The matchup between the Irish in the Hurricanes under the lights on November 7 will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the regular season. Freeman dropped game one last year to Miami down in Hard Rock Stadium which propelled the Hurricanes to their first bid in the College Football Playoffs. This year, Notre Dame gets their shot at revenge on their home turf. The home team has won every matchup in this rivalry dating back to the mid 1980's. Ideally, that trend continues. 

Will Notre Dame's journey to their 12th national title be tainted if they don't beat Miami in the first weekend of November? I don't believe so, at the end of the day, I just want to see this team hoist up that golden trophy at the end of the season. But beating Miami in the regular season would add to the sweet taste of victory. 

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

Obviously, this is a matchup we would have to wait for the postseason to see, but it's one I think Notre Dame fans, and their head coach, need. The one dragon Freeman has yet to slay is his alma mater, the Ohio State Buckeyes. During his tenure, the fifth-year head coach is 0-3 against his former school. In 2022, they lost 21-10 in Columbus. The following season, they lost in South Bend 17-14 in a devastating loss in the final minutes. In 2024, they squared off in the national title game. Despite Notre Dame's valiant comeback attempt, they fell short 34-23. 

I'd argue, this is the one team Notre Dame has to beat to put all of their past demons to rest on their way to winning it all this season. Head coach Ryan Day has had Freeman's number the last three times they've matched up. There's a good possibility these two Midwest titans clash at some point in the post season. The Irish will have their opportunity to get back what was lost in 2022, 2023 and 2024. 

TEXAS LONGHORNS/OREGON DUCKS

As of today, these are the two other teams in contention with the Irish for the best roster in college football. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Believe me, I could care less who Notre Dame beats on their way to a title this season, but if they truly want to 'Leave No Doubt', beating one of the two teams in college football with arguably the best rosters in the country would certainly leave no doubt. 

Headlines about Notre Dame's path will come out regardless – 'They didn't have to play…insert team here' but conquering head coach Dan Lanning at Oregon who some have tabbed as the national title favorite or Steve Sarkisian down at Texas would go a long way in silencing those critics. 

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

Full transparency, this is more for Notre Dame fans to exercise some of their own demons, myself included. We've seen the Irish square off with the Crimson Tide twice in the post season since 2012 and they've been outscored a combined 73-28. They lost 42-14 in the 2012 BCS national championship and lost in the semi-finals of the 2020 CFP 31-14 in the Rose Bowl. Now, this isn't the Nick Saban-led Alabama teams that trounced the Irish in those seasons, but this would be one final dragon that has yet to be slain in the eyes of the Irish faithful. 

At the end of the day, if Notre Dame wins a title in 2026 I don't really care, nor should the majority of the college football world care, who they beat along the way. Nobody blinked twice when Michigan won in 2023 during a down year in college football. But we're talking about the Fighting Irish, one of the most scrutinized teams in the sport. If they win a title and beat any combination of the teams listed above, I don't think there's any doubt around the dominance they displayed this fall.  

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