Key Highlights
- Fortunately, Notre Dame will get another chance to do that in 2026 and the Irish return one of the top rosters in college football. Notre Dame will be considered one of the top contenders for the national championship next season, and the Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings are showing that.
- ESPN dropped its first 2026 rankings just minutes after the title game was complete, and the world wide leader ranked Notre Dame as the No.
- 3 team in its initial ranking. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere is what ESPN had to say about Notre Dame:"After being left out of the CFP, the Fighting Irish should be right back in the mix in 2026.
- There's no question the Irish will miss Love and Price, who combined to run for 2,046 yards with 29 touchdowns this past season.
- Aneyas Williams, who averaged 9.3 yards per carry, is the heir apparent.