2027 wr quentin burrell sets spring and puts notre dame in top 10
After returning from Battle Las Vegas, 2027 Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel 4-Star wide receiver Quentin Burrell got back to off-season training with his Caravan teammates and began to sift through the information that was gathered during the contact period to begin scheduling very important spring visit. Notre Dame will receive one of those visits on April 1st according to the 6-3 195-pound pass catcher.
“The conversations started in Vegas,” Burrell told LL. “Me and my parents started making decisions on the schools we wanted to visit in the spring. I appreciate all of the schools and coaches that reached out and came to see us during the contact period, but the schools that took time to come see me and the family stood out the most.
“I’m going on April 1st,” Burrell continued. “That’s the plan right now. I’m excited to see practice and getting a chance to watch CJ and the wide receivers, and getting a chance to talk to the rest of the coaches.”
Fighting Irish wide receivers coach Mike Brown spent time with Burrell and his family on consecutive days in January, and that made a good impression.
“Coach Brown and Notre Dame have been consistent,” Burrell explained. “I camped there and liked how Coach (Mike) Brown interacted with me and we continued to build our relationship.”
He will now go into the hectic final phase of the process that will see him visit 10 schools during the spring where his plan will help him trim to 5 finalists in May.
“It’s a bit of a relief,” Burrell told IB. “Now it’s the final stretch and narrowing it down again for official visits. Notre Dame has always been one of my top schools, and Coach (Mike) Brown is a cool guy. He’s easy to talk to and I appreciate him coming to see me when he can.
“I’m going to take my visits and get down to five,” Burrell continued. “During the spring visits, I want to know where I am on their board and what their plan for me is going to be. I’m just getting the remaining details to make the final cut.”
The other programs getting spring visits from Burrell include Missouri, Indiana, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Vanderbilt and LSU.
“The plan is to go to all my top ten schools,” Burrell shared. “I didn’t have much time in the fall because of my schedule, so I’m going to enjoy the opportunity to see things up close and talk with the coaching staffs.”
Burrell is ranked as the nation’s No. 36 overall player by ESPN, the No. 41 overall player by 247Sports and the No. 43 overall player by Rivals/On3. He graded out as a Top 50 caliber player on the Irish Breakdown board as well.
notre dame hires brian jean-mary as next lb coach
Notre Dame has completed its defensive staff with the announcement that Brian Jean-Mary has officially been hired as the program's Linebacker Coach. Jean-Mary will also be the team's run game coordinator for the defense. Jean-Mary held the same position the last two seasons at Michigan, but he had taken a job at Georgia Tech before Notre Dame had a need at the position.
Jean-Mary replaces Max Bullough, who left this offseason to return to his alma mater - Michigan State - as their co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach. Bullough had held that position for three seasons. Although Bullough is the coach Jean-Mary replaces from last season, he technically replaces Al Washington, who had been moved to linebackers after Bullough departed. Washington recently took a position with the Miami Dolphins.
With Jean-Mary hired the Irish defensive staff has now been completely overhauled. Jean-Mary joins Charlie Partridge (defensive line) and Aaron Henry (secondary), who will now work under Defensive Coordinator Chris Ash, who is now the longest tenured coach on defense. Jean-Mary is the only new hire who has no working history with Ash.
Prior to joining Michigan, Jean-Mary served as the linebackers coach at Tennessee. He served as the linebackers at Michigan in 2020, and the three seasons prior to that he was the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at South Florida, where he served from 2017-19. He spent three seasons coaching linebackers at Texas (2014-16), where he also served as the Recruiting Coordinator. Jean-Mary spent the 2010-13 seasons at Louisville, where he was the Linebackers Coach and Assistant Head Coach. His first job as a Division I coach was at Georgia Tech, where he coached Linebackers from 2004-09.
Jean-Mary has some indirect ties to Notre Dame. He served as a graduate assistant coach at South Carolina from 2001-02, where he worked under former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz. Holtz, of course, is a legendary former Irish coach who led Notre Dame to its last national championship (1988). He also has a very long history with Charlie Strong, who Jean-Mary worked under at Louisville, Texas and South Florida. Strong, of course, worked at Notre Dame from 1995-98.
Michigan ranked 19th and 29th in scoring defense the last two seasons. The Wolverines also ranked 5th and 19th in rushing defense in the two seasons with Jean-Mary in charge of the run game. The 2023 Tennessee defense ranked 22nd in scoring defense and 21st in rushing defense. The Volunteers also ranked 12th in fewest yards allowed per rush. Tennessee ranked 21st in rush defense and 11th in yards allowed per rush in 2022.
2027 WR Quentin burrell talks recruitment at battle vegas
Some of the most talented high school athletes in the country converged on Las Vegas this weekend to compete in the Battle 7 on 7 series, and 2027 Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel 4-Star WR Quentin Burrell settled in after the first day of pool play.
“It was a good day,” Burrell told LL. “We went 2-1 in pool play and we should’ve been 3-0. Tomorrow is single elimination, so we can play up to 5 more games depending on our seed.”
Burrell is accompanied by his high school teammate, Tavares Harrington, who is also a target of the Fighting Irish in the 2027 recruiting cycle. Both are coming off a busy contact period filled with home and school visits. For a long time, Notre Dame and Michigan were considered leaders in his recruitment, and things have gotten more intense with 5 more offers, coaching changes and visits.
“It was pretty busy,” Burrell shared. “I got five more offers. Whoever showed up in January to see me and my family made the most impact. Some of the coaching changes made me have to look at things for schools that might have been high on my list. I still want to put out my top schools after spring visits.”
Fighting Irish wide receivers coach Mike Brown spent time with Burrell and his family on consecutive days in January, and that made an impression with the talented pass catcher.
“I saw Coach Brown twice,” Burrell explained. “The first time, he really spoke to my dad about things and answered some questions. Our relationship is really good, and he’s been consistent with us from the beginning. Now, I have to figure out when I’m going to visit and get a chance to see practice.”
This off-season is also an opportunity for Burrell to spend time with more time with his 7 on 7 quarterback, Trae Taylor, before he relocates to Millard South in Omaha (Neb.). They’ve been close friends since junior high school and 7 on 7 teammates for the last three years.
“Yea, It’s cool to ball with him,” Burrell said. “We joke with him about chasing him out of the state. We’re all close and it’s we’re going have fun competing and trying to win the whole thing.
Burrell is ranked as the nation’s No. 36 overall player by ESPN, the No. 41 overall player by 247Sports and the No. 43 overall player by Rivals/On3. He graded out as a Top 50 caliber player on the Irish Breakdown board as well. He hold offers from schools like Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Arizona State, and Ole Miss amongst others.
Notre dame fills needs with eight man transfer class
A slow start in the transfer portal had the Fighting Irish fanbase feeling a little uneasy, but they finished with a flurry to adde eight new signees to the roster, giving them a top 10 class to add to the #1 recruiting class in 2026
Here is what Notre Dame to say in the release.
#7 Francis Brewu, Defensive Tackle
"Brewu played in 25 games for Pittsburgh over the last two seasons, including 13 starts for the Panthers in 2025. He recorded 51 tackles (20 solo), 10 tackles for loss and two and a half sacks during his tenure in Pittsburgh. He was tabbed a 2025 Honorable Mention All-ACC honoree and was named a 2024 PFF Freshman All-American during his freshman campaign. Brewu registered a career-high nine tackles (three solo) and a sack against West Virginia last September."
#3 Mylan Graham, Wide Receiver
"Graham, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, caught six passes for 93 yards this season at Ohio State, averaging 15.5 yards per reception. A former five-star prospect according to 247Sports and On3, Graham played in 13 games for the Buckeyes over the past two seasons, including multiple stints in the College Football Playoff. Graham recorded over 2,000 receiving yards and 21 receiving touchdowns during his career at New Haven High School."
#0 Tionne Gray, Defensive Tackle
"Gray played in 13 games and made three starts for Oregon this past season, totaling 18 tackles (five solo), two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry. In the College Football Playoff First Round against James Madison, Gray blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt on special teams while also adding two tackles (one solo), shared a tackle for loss and recorded a quarterback hurry on the defensive line. He is a former four-star prospect by ESPN and Rivals and was ranked the No. 9 defensive lineman in the 2024 class by Rivals."
#11 Keon Keeley, Defensive End
"Keeley, a former five-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals and On3, played in 13 games and registered 16 tackles (six solo) for Alabama in 2025. The Tampa, Florida native also added three sacks and a blocked punt. In the first round of the College Football Playoff, Keeley had a career-high four tackles (two solo) and one sack in the road win over eight-seeded Oklahoma. Keeley was the No. 2 overall prospect and the top pass rusher out of high school in 2023 according to On3."
DJ McKinney, Cornerback
"McKinney, a former All-Big 12 cornerback, started in 22 games over the last two seasons at Colorado, posting 97 tackles (71 solo), 14 pass breakups and four interceptions with the Buffaloes. Prior to his time in Boulder, McKinney started his collegiate career at Oklahoma State, playing in 14 games during the 2023 season. He finished the season with 38 tackles (24 solo), seven of them coming against Texas in the Big 12 Championship game. He was tied for the team lead in pass breakups with five and helped the Cowboys to a 10-4 record. Over his collegiate career to-date, McKinney has accumulated 137 tackles (96 solo), four interceptions, 19 pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a defensive touchdown."
#35 Spencer Porath, Kicker
"Porath played in 20 games as the place kicker for Purdue over the last two seasons. A 2023 U.S. Army Bowl All-American, Porath converted 15 of 17 field goal attempts last year, including a long of 53 yards. In his two years as a Boilermaker, Porath was a perfect 41-of-41 on extra point attempts. Porath was named the Indiana Mr. Football 2023 position award winner and was ranked the No. 8 kicker in the 2023 class by On3."
#0 Quincy Porter, Wide Receiver
"Porter, a former five-star recruit and a top-four receiver in the 2025 class by 247Sports and On3, played in five games last year for Ohio State. He recorded four receptions for 59 yards, averaging 14.8 yards per reception in 2025. A high school state champion in 2024, Porter also competed in track during his time at Bergen Catholic High School. He was ranked the No.1 player in New Jersey by 247Sports composite rankings."
#12 Jayden Sanders, Cornerback
"Sanders played in all 13 games this past season for Michigan and made two starts. The former four-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports and On3 totaled 23 tackles (16 solo) and a pass breakup during his freshman year with the Wolverines. Sanders logged a career-high eight tackles (five solo) and a pass breakup against Nebraska. At Kilgore High School, Sanders was a first-team All-District defensive back and kick returner."
notre dame announces 95th annual blue & gold game
The official date and time for Notre Dame's 95th annual Blue Gold game has been set. On Saturday, April 25 at 2:00 PM ET, the Irish will take the field for the first time since their final regular season game back on November 29, 2025 against Stanford. The game will be streamed exclusively on Peacock.
This is major news for the Fighting Irish faithful; more and more programs continue moving away from the traditional spring game model while other teams are doing away with it entirely. For many fans, this is their one and only opportunity to see the Notre Dame football team in person. Their continuation of the spring game will bring a smile to many fan's faces, including mine.
Last year's outing was a high scoring affair with the Blue Team (offense) walking away with a 76-31 victory over the Gold Team (defense). There was no shortage of big plays for either side of the ball last year. It was also the last test for a three quarterback competition that featured Steve Angeli (Syracuse), Kenny Minchey (Kentucky), and returning starter CJ Carr threw for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. He would eventually beat out Kenny Minchey during a fall competition.
notre dame 5th in cbs way too early rankings
CBS has released it’s way too early rankings for the 2026 season and they are impressed with what head coach Marcus Freeman has coming back. They have the Fighting Irish fifth in their rankings largely due to a talented roster that can be connected to Marcus Freeman 2023 recruiting class.
Graced with a playoff assurance next season and a schedule that's the most favorable in the country among contenders, it would take a cataclysmic fall for the Fighting Irish not to be included in the 12-team bracket," Brad Crawford of CBS Sports explained. "Notre Dame plucked a half-dozen new likely starters from the transfer market and anticipates a Heisman-like season out of rising sophomore quarterback CJ Carr, who won 10 straight starts to end his freshman campaign."
Big picture, as far as where they're seeded, I have zero issues with this ranking overall. I also have Notre Dame receiving a first round bye this year. The Irish return head coach Marcus Freeman who is going into his fifth year, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock who is going into his third year and defensive coordinator Chris Ash who overcame the rough start in 2025 and returns for his second season.
They have a starting quarterback returning for the first time since 2020, three starting offensive lineman in left tackle Anthonie Knapp, center Ashton Craig and right guard Guerby Lambert and two starting wide receivers in Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse on offense to go along with impactful portal pick ups from Ohio State in wide receivers Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham.
Defensively, they return both starting defensive ends, Jason Onye at defensive tackle, their entire linebacker rotation from 2025 featuring Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Jaylen Sneed and Madden Faraimo. On the back end, they return Christian Gray, Tae Johnson, Adon Shuler and Unanimous All-American cornerback Leonard Moore.
Here is the CBS analysis for the Irish being ranked 5th:
5. Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman told players the motto this year is to "leave no doubt" after falling short of the CFP. The Irish added receivers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter from the transfer portal. Freeman is still one of the five best coaches in college football, as evidenced by the rumors of NFL teams showing interest in the 40-year-old coach. The schedule sets up nicely for a playoff run and is a big reason why Notre Dame is a co-favorite to win the national championship.
Notre dame set to hire aaron henry as db coach
According to reports, Notre Dame looks set to hire Aaron Henry, former Illinois defensive coordinator as the next defensive backs coach at Notre Dame. The Irish and head coach Marcus Freeman were in search of a new defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator after the departure of Mike Mickens who is headed to the Baltimore Ravens.
Henry previously worked as Irish defensive coordinator Chris Ash's first defensive backs coach at Rutgers in 2016 when Ash was the head coach of the Scarlett Knights. They also worked together in 2014 when Ash was the defensive coordinator with the Arkansas Razorbacks and Henry was a Graduate Assistant on defense.
Henry was promoted to defensive coordinator for the Fighting Illini in 2022; he was their defensive backs coach in 2021 and 2022. Over the last two seasons, Illinois won 19 games which is the best two-year span in program history. Henry's defense played an integral role in that happening. As their defensive coordinator in 2024, Illinois finished the season ranked 10th in the country with 15 fumbles forced.
This past season, eight of 11 of the defensive starters for Illinois earned Big Ten honors. In their post season matchup with Tennessee in the Music City Bowl, the Illini defense held the high-powered Volunteer's offense to a season-low 278 total yards. Illinois went on to win 30-28. Henry is a young talent that will have a chance to learn under Freeman and Ash; he was the youngest defensive coordinator in the Big Ten when he was hired back in 2023.
The Fighting Irish return four key starters on the back end including cornerback Christian Gray, safeties Adon Shuler and Tae Johnson and Unanimous All-American cornerback Leonard Moore. They also added two new players in the portal with DJ McKinney coming over from Colorado and Jayden Sanders coming over from Michigan.
They also bring back rising sophomores Mark Zackery IV, Dallas Golden and Ethan Long from the 2025 class. Zackery and Golden saw a lot of meaningful minutes during the 2025 season and Long tallied an interception against Syracuse in the final home game of the regular season. They, along with the 2026 recruiting class that features Joey O'Brien, Khary Adams, Ayden Pouncy and several other, round out the depth in the best returning secondary in the country.
al washington departs for the nfl’s miami dolphins
linebackers coach Al Washington is headed to the Miami Dolphins to reunite with Jeff Hafley who Washington worked with while at Ohio State. Hafley was also the head coach at Boston College from 2020 to 2023 which was Washington's alma mater. This was first reported by John Brice at FootballScoop.
Earlier this offseason, head coach Marcus Freeman and defensive coordinator Chris Ash made the move to replace Max Bullough with Washington who was Notre Dame's defensive line coach since 2022. Bullough returned to his alma mater, Michigan State, to be their co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under new Spartan's head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Washington has coached linebackers at multiple stops throughout this career including 2011 with Elon, 2018 with Michigan and 2019-2021 with the Ohio State Buckeyes. During that time, he coached several notable linebackers including Devin Bush at Michigan in 2018, Malik Harrison, Pete Werner, Tuf Borland, Baron Browning, Tommy Eichenburg, Steele Chambers and Cody Simon during his time at Ohio State.
Now, the process of hiring another defensive replacement begins. Freeman was brought to the Irish as their defensive coordinator in 2021 and played linebacker at Ohio State. This is a position group that he holds in high regard and a position that should be filled rather quickly. Whoever steps in will be walking into a very experienced and talented room.
The Notre Dame linebacking corps is expected to be one of the deepest and most talented units in the country. Linebackers Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Jaylen Sneed and Madden Faraimo all return. This past season, Notre Dame's linebackers combined for 217 total tackles and 24.0 tackles for a loss. As they prepare to head into year two of the Ash system, I'd expect their production to ramp up in 2026.
The process is still on-going to find the replacement for Mickens and now, finding Washington's replacement will also be a top priority. Notre Dame has one of the most talented defensive rosters in the country. Their openings at defensive backs coach and linebackers coach will be one of the more desirable openings in college football.
mike mickens departs for the nfl
Notre Dame has suffered a really tough blow as Irish Breakdown has been able to confirm that secondary coach Mike Mickens is leaving the team for a job with the Baltimore Ravens. With Mickens gone the Irish defensive staff from 2024 will be almost completely new, and no coaches from that team will be in the spots they were in. This will be a very different looking defensive staff.
Mickens came to Notre Dame back in 2020, and he quickly emerged as one of the teams top assistant coaches. It didn't take long for Mickens to not only emerge as a top assistant on the Irish staff, but as one of the top defensive backs coaches in all of college football. Mickens has developed Notre Dame into one of the top producers of secondary talent in all of college football, and he has been dynamic as a recruiter as well.
Notre Dame has produced multiple All-Americans during Mickens tenure, with Leonard Moore (2025) and Xavier Watts (2023-24) becoming the latest standouts. Over the last three seasons the Notre Dame defense has ranked in the Top 10 nationally in passer rating. Notre Dame led the nation in passer rating in 2023 and 2024 with Mickens driving the coverage looks and calls. Notre Dame also ranked in the Top 10 in passing yards allowed per attempt in 2023 and 2024.
notre dame finalizes 2026 schedule
Notre Dame has finalized its 2026 football schedule with the 12th opponent being finalized and dates being set. The Fighting Irish now know what the schedule that it must dominate on its way to the College Football Playoff looks like.
There was some question about who would be the 12th opponent, but it has been finalized that Stanford will remain on the schedule for the 2026 season. Notre Dame will play Stanford at home on October 10th. The Irish will end the regular season on the East Coast as they will head to Syracuse on November 28th to wrap up the regular season. Notre Dame has finished its regular season in California every season since 1997.
Notre Dame also finalized its date for SMU, which will be played at home on November 21st. That will be Senior Day for Notre Dame, who plays SMU for the first time since 1989.
Notre Dame will play six ACC teams next season. Notre Dame will play four straight ACC opponents to end the season, including two - Miami and SMU - who made it to the College Football Playoff the last two seasons. SMU made it in 2024 and Miami advanced to the title game in 2025.
Notre Dame will play three Big Ten opponents, with long time rivals Michigan State (Home) and Purdue (Road) being on the schedule this season. It's Notre Dame's first meeting with the Spartans since 2017 and first home game against the Spartans since 2016. Notre Dame will kick the season off against Wisconsin, with the game being played at Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers. Notre Dame last played Wisconsin in 2021, another game played on an NFL Stadium, that time being Soldier Field. The Irish won that game 41-13.
Notre Dame will play a second game inside of a NFL stadium, as the Irish will play Navy at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. That is the home of the New England Patriots.
Notre Dame will also travel to Provo, Utah to take on the BYU Cougars in a matchup against the reigning Big 12 runners up. Notre Dame has not traveled to Provo since 2004, a game the Irish lost 20-17. The last meeting was 2022 in Las Vegas, a game Notre Dame won 28-20.
NOTRE DAME 2026 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sep. 6 - vs Wisconsin (Lambeau Field - Green Bay, Wis.)
Sep. 12 - Rice
Sep. 19 - Michigan State
Sep. 26 - at Purdue
Oct. 3 - at North Carolina
Oct. 10 - Stanford
Oct. 17 - at BYU
Oct. 24 - Bye Week
Oct. 31 - vs Navy (Gillette Stadium - Foxborough, Mass.)
Nov. 7 - Miami
Nov. 14 - Boston College
Nov. 21 - SMU
Nov. 28 - at Syracuse
KARLOS MAY ENJOYS HOME VISIT FROM NOTRE DAME
2027 6-4 305- pound DL Karlos May of Birmingham (Ala.) Ramsay never thought that a school like Notre Dame would have interest in him and ever since the Fighting Irish offered him, they’ve gone above and beyond to make him feel comfortable. He felt even stronger about that after linebacker coach Al Washington’s in-home visit yesterday.
“I was surprised to get an offer from them,” May told LL. “I wasn’t really sure what it was going to be like when I visited (Oct. 18 USC), but it was great. The atmosphere was different at first, but it’s really just like my hometown. I’m looking forward to being there in March.
“They’re recruiting my family just as hard,” May continued. “Everyone was laughing, joking and having a great time with Coach Washington. I know he won’t be coaching me anymore, but he’s still there. I”m excited to meet the new coach, Charlie Partridge, sometime next week.
The 4-star 200th ranked player according to 247 sports fits defensive line coach Charlie Partridge’s scheme with his versatility, quickness and disruptive abilities versus the run and pass. Getting a visit from Al Washington was a smart move from the Fighting Irish to reassure May and his family that nothing has changed as far as how Notre Dame views him as a priority, and how he still fits moving forward.
“Coach Washington said I’m going to like him,” May shared. “I know he’s coming from the NFL and developed some good players, so that’s another relationship I look forward to having.”
notre dame hires charlie partridge as new defensive line coach
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is shuffling his defensive coaching staff by putting former defensive line coach Al Washington in charge of the linebackers and hiring Charlie Partridge to coach defensive linemen.The moves come less than two weeks after Freeman decided to remain Notre Dame's head coach on a restructured contract.Washington will reman Notre Dame's defensive run game coordinator and will replace Max Bullough as linebackers coach. Bullough recently left to become the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Michigan State, his alma mater. Washington was Ohio State’s linebackers coach from 2019-21 before joining Freeman’s staff at Notre Dame. He also coached linebackers at Michigan in 2018.
“When the linebackers role came open, we immediately thought of Al,” Freeman said in a statement released Wednesday. “With his previous experience coaching linebackers he will be a great asset to that room, and taking on this role will continue to enhance his skillset as he ultimately looks to elevate in his career.”
On Thursday, Notre Dame announced the hiring of Partridge who had spent the past two seasons coaching defensive linemen with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
He spent the previous 26 seasons as a positional coach, special teams coordinator, co-defensive coordinator and head coach at the college level. His most recent college experience came at Pittsburgh where he worked as assistant head coach/defensive line coach from 2018-23. He also worked for the Panthers as the defensive line coach in 2017.
Partridge went 9-27 as head coach of Florida Atlantic from 2014-16.
“Charlie’s record of developing highly impactful defensive linemen speaks for itself,” Freeman said in a statement. “His experience in both college football and the NFL, as well as his experience working with Chris Ash, will be very beneficial to our pro
cfp committee pulls rug out from under notre dame
The biggest surprise of the College Football Playoff was Notre Dame being left out, but no matter how much it may hurt to say, the Fighting Irish have no one else to blame but themselves, after losing the first two games of the season by a total of 4 points.
And it's not because the Irish lost their first two games of the season, but rather because of who they chose to play.
Give Notre Dame credit, they played one tough schedule. At Miami (FL), vs. Texas A&M, vs. Boise State and vs. USC. Miami and Texas A&M made the CFP, USC is a top 25 team, and Boise State won nine games and its third straight Mountain West Championship after taking it to UNLV on Friday.
But none of that matters. The main reason ND missed out on the CFP is that the Irish lost twice. It doesn't matter that both teams the Irish lost to made the CFP and that Texas A&M was undefeated going into its final regular-season game. Whether it should or shouldn't matter is a topic for a different day, but one thing is crystal clear: the committee doesn't care who you beat; it only cares how many games you lose.
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua says that head coach Marcus Freeman and Irish players were devastated by the committee’s decision to eliminate them from the playoffs after consistently having them ahead of multiple playoff teams in previous rankings. One of the dominoes to fall from the committee’s decision is the Fighting Irish deciding not to participate in a bowl game this season.
"As a team, we've decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season," read a statement posted on social media that was credited to the 2025 Notre Dame football team. "We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we're hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026."
The Irish figure to be one of the best teams in the country with quarterback CJ Carr returning to lead a talented roster.
notre dame opts out of bowl game
Notre Dame withdrew from the bowl selection process after it missed out on the College Football Playoff, the Fighting Irish announced. Notre Dame landed at No. 11 in the final set of playoff rankings, which made it the first team out of the 12-team bracket.
The selection committee's decision to exclude Notre Dame in favor of Miami, which ranked 10th and snagged the last at-large bid, came after weeks of ranking the Fighting Irish ahead of the Hurricanes. Notre Dame and Miami were both idle during conference championship weekend.
"As a team, we've decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season," Notre Dame wrote in a statement. "We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we're hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026."
Notre Dame finished the regular season with a 10-2 record. The Fighting Irish lost their first two games against a pair of ranked opponents in Miami and Texas A&M -- who both made the College Football Playoff -- before winning their final 10 games in a row.
Notre Dame's winning streak included victories against Mountain West champion Boise State and No. 16 USC. That wasn't enough to keep the Irish ahead of Miami when it really mattered.
"There is no explanation that could possibly be given to explain the outcome," Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said in a statement "As I said to Marcus (Freeman), one thing is for sure: Any rankings or show prior to this last one is an absolute joke and a waste of time. Why put these young student-athletes through these false emotions just to pull the rug out from underneath them having not played a game in two weeks and then a group of people in a room shatter their dreams without explanation? We feel like the playoff was stolen from our student-athletes."
This is the first time since 2016, and just the second time since 2009, that Notre Dame will not compete in a postseason game. The Fighting Irish made it all the way to the College Football Playoff National Championship last season before suffering a 34-23 loss to Ohio State.
leonard moore lands on thorpe watchlist
Sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore has been named to the 2025 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, an award given annually to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. Leonard Moore was one of those underrated gems of the 2024 recruiting class that didn’t report until fall camp and quickly showed up in coverage situations. He continued to prepare for his moment that came before the Louisville game, when starting CB Christian Gray was a late scratch due to injury. When the Fighting Irish found out that All-American Benjamin Morrison would miss the remainder of the season due to injury, Moore took full advantage of the opportunity to establish himself as one of the best pass defenders in the country.
He followed it up with another seven-tackle performance, adding a tackle for a loss of 16 yards and two pass breakups at Georgia Tech. He compiled two-consecutive stops to force a turnover on the last drive of the first half, cementing an Irish lead.
Moore enters his true sophomore season already named to the watch lists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy, as well as to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America First Team. As a true freshman in 2024, he was named the FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the Freshman All-America teams for FWAA, ESPN, The Athletic (First Team), Pro Football Focus, the College Football Network and the 247Sports True Freshman All-America Team.
In 2024, Moore started 10 games and totaled 48 tackles with two interceptions, 2.0 TFL, 10 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a quarterback hurry. In the first two starts of his career, he totaled seven tackles in each.
Moore had several moments for the Irish during multiple College Football Playoff wins in the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl and an appearance in the 2025 CFP National Title game. In the regular season finale at USC, he recorded five pass breakups, tied for the second-most in a single game by any FBS player in 2024, becoming the only freshman to achieve the feat.
drayk bowen, jaylen sneed make butkus watchlist
Junior linebackers Drayk Bowen and Jaylen Sneed have earned selection to the 2025 Butkus Award Watch List, an award honoring the nation’s top linebacker. The Fighitng linebacker room is filled with talent and the aforementioned are seen as the best of the bunch heading into the season.
Notre Dame has a rich history of elite linebacker production on the college level, but only three Irish players have been to win the coveted postseason award : Manti Te’o (2012), Jaylon Smith (2015) and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2020). Ohter great defenders have fallen short in their efforts including Michael Stonebreaker, who finished third in the voting in 1988 and 1990. Courtney Watson was one of three finalists for the award in 2002, and Smith was one of five finalists for the award in 2014.
Bowen is familiar with a version of the Butkus Award, as he won the high school version during his senior season. He is also a member of the Nagurski Trophy watch list, started all 16 games for the Irish in 2024 and totaled 78 tackles (40 solo), ranking third on the team. He led the team in forced fumbles with three on the season. Head coach Marcus Freeman was adamant this spring about Bowen’s development into a vocal leader on defense last season, and how he’s continued to grow in that area in the offseason.
Sneed had an amazing CFP performance highlighted by his pass rush pressure that led to Christian Gray’s late interception against Penn State to put the Fighting Irish in position to kick a game-winning field goal that propelled them to the a nation championship game berth. The rangy defender played in all 16 games for the Irish in 2024, starting six. He ranked sixth in total tackles on defense with 51, and ranked second in third down stops, also posting 6.0 TFL on the season and two forced fumbles.
Sneed was lauded by coaches this spring for his commitment to getting stronger in the weight room and improvements in his game during practices. His talent has always been undeniable, but there’s an excitement about his game going to the next level under new defensive coordinator Chris Ash.
Both linebackers played key roles on a 2024 Irish defense that was one of the most complete defenses in the country, ranking among the FBS’ top teams. At the end of the season, Notre Dame was first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).
Nd set to begin fall camp: carr, minchey look to set the tone
Notre Dame begins fall camp on Thursday and there are several position battles that add intrigue to an already highly anticipated camp, because of the pending quarterback battle between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey. Both quarterbacks have garnered confidence from the staff during the spring that they’re ready to assume the responsibility of being the leader of Notre Dame’s evolving offense under 2nd year offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.
1) Who can be the most consistent performer? That is job number one for the quarterbacks, perform on a consistent level. It's not so much about completion percentage as it is moving the offense. Who can lead the offense to points on a more consistent basis. Who can make the best decisions on the most consistent basis, which gets the ball to the playmakers.
CJ Carr showed the ability to do this at a higher level in the Blue & Gold game with Minchey missing a few easy opportunities.
2) Who can command the offense at the highest level? Commanding the offense refers to leadership and also who can handle the system the best. Who commands the most confidence and trust from the rest of the offense? Who can show the best grasp of the offense, which allows the quarterback to get the unit into good looks and out of bad ones? Leadership comes from setting a good example, but it also comes from earning the trust of your teammates that you can set them up for success.
Both quarterbacks have been in Mike Denbrock’s offense for two years and have a good handle of things. Consistency and decision making will be vitally important during fall camp. The spring saw both have moments of greatness, so the more consistent QB will have an advantage.
3) Who can limit the big mistakes? Turnovers are going to happen for all quarterbacks, and that's especially true for first-time starters. Both Minchey and Carr will turn the ball over in fall camp and the winner of the starting job will turn the ball over during the season. The two keys are keeping them to a level you can live with as an offense and also avoiding the really bad turnovers. The bad turnovers are the ones that come from panic, the ones that kill potential scoring drives, the ones that set up the opposition for easier scores and the ones that crush momentum in the biggest moments of the game. Big mistakes aren't just about turnovers, avoiding big mistakes also means not missing out on the opportunities to make big plays and clutch plays when they happen.
No one expects either quarterback to be perfect, and mistakes will be made. The response to those mistakes will be a bigger focus throughout camp.
There should be a natural order at the quarterback position in any program, and the same holds true with this situation. Kenny Minchey has been around and should be viewed as the lead guy in the race with the snaps shared evenly. Ultimately, this is going to come down to how Mike Denbrock views the offense evolving in the hands of both quarterbacks, and if one can show that they possess the skills to speed up that evolution, then they will separate themselves. This battle will set the tone for everything Mike Denbrock is looking to establish heading into the season.
Malik Zaire
Schrauth, Wagner ON Outland Trophy Watch List
Junior offensive linemen Billy Schrauth and Aamil Wagner have been selected to the 2025 Outland Trophy Watch List, which recognizes commitment to community service and leadership off the field.
The two Irish players are part of a group of 50 linemen on the watch list. Notre Dame has had three past winners of the Outland Trophy: OT George Connor (1946), OG Bill Fischer (1948) and DE Ross Browner (1976). THe Irish have had four additional finalists: Aaron Taylor (1993), Quenton Nelson (2017), Liam Eichenberg (2020) and Joe Alt (2023) according to the Notre Dame Athletic Department.
The Outland Trophy, which recognizes standout interior linemen, is celebrating its 80th season and this year's preseason list includes 16 offensive tackles, 15 guards, nine centers and 10 defensive tackles. It’s an impressive list of the best lineman in college football, and quite the honor to be included for the two Notre Dame stars.
ND's offensive line is expected to be one of the best units in the country after a bit of an inconsistent 2024 campaign due to injury and the need to play freshman at important positions along the line. The Fighting Irish are poised to make another deep run in the College Football Playoff and that could transition both players into finalists for the award. If Schrauth and Wagner play up to the Outland standard, they’ll both be in the mix to win the award.
Shaun M. Davis
drayk bowen, leonard moore on nagurski watchlist
Notre Dame defenders continue to receive admiration and buzz from the success of the Fighting Irish defense over the past three seasons. The latest recognition is courtesy of the Bronko Nagurski Award, which has linebacker Drayk Bowen and cornerback Leonard Moore on its preseason Watch List.
The Nagurski Trophy goes to the nation’s top all-around defensive player, and the award found it’s way to South Bend in 2023 when it went to Notre Dame star safety Xavier Watts. Bowen and Moore are the two returners getting the most preseason recognition as the Irish look to have another star win that honor.
Bowen excelled as a first-year starter in 2024 and he took control on the Mike linebacker position under now ex-defensive coordinator Al Golden, and became a vocal leader for the defense. He finished third on the Irish defense with 78 tackles while ranking 7th on the defense in snaps. By the end of the season Bowen was a clear leader of the Irish defense. He played his best football of the season during the final stretch, racking up 22 tackles in the final three playoff games, including 8 in both the Orange Bowl win over Penn State and 8 in the title game loss to Ohio State.
Bowen was listed as a preseason All-American by Phil Steele.
Moore is widely considered the best returning cornerback in college football and projects as a future first-round NFL draft pick. He was a star as a freshman earning Defensive Freshman of the Year honors from the Football Writers Association of America. He tallied 48 tackles, picked off two passes and broke up 11 more during his dynamic rookie season. Heading into his sophomore season, Moore is expected to be one of the top defenders in the nation, regardless of position.
Five Notre Dame opponents also made the Nagurski Trophy Watch List. Miami (Fla.) defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee, Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis, Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson and Boise State defensive Jayden Virgin-Morgan all made the list.
Shaun M. Davis
jeremiyah love on maxwell watch list
Today, Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love was named to the Maxwell Award watchlist. The Maxwell is awarded every year to the most outstanding player in college football; it recognizes superb play on the field and outstanding contributions to the game. Historically, this award is typically given to premier quarterbacks in the country, but last season, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty won the Maxwell after a stellar season. Jeanty was the first running back who won the award since Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015.
During the 2024 season, Love racked up 1,125 rushing yards, averaging 6.9 yards per carry, totaled 17 rushing touchdowns, 237 receiving yards and recorded two receiving touchdowns. The versatile back took advantage of being the primary ball-carrier for the first by quickly becoming one of the most dynamic and explosive players in the country after recording touchdown runs of 48, 64, 68, 76 and 98 yards. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Love at 100 percent in the post season due to an injury sustained in the last regular season game. Fortunately that didn’t stop him from rattling off a 98 yard touchdown run to open up the 2024 College Football Playoffs.
This season, Love returns to the Fighting Irish backfield and is expected to be a main focal point of the offense. Notre Dame returns an experienced offensive line and will be breaking in a first time starter under center for the first time since 2022. Love and the rest of new running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider’s stable of ball carriers should take the pressure off a first time starter at quarterback earlier in the season.
Notre Dame has found success in receiving the prestigious award with six players winning the award since it’s origin with the most recent player being star linebacker Manti Te’o in 2012. Love has the opportunity to be the first Irish running back to win the award since John Lattner who won the Maxwell in back to back seasons in 1952 and 1953. Love has received a lot of preseason hype and is being coined as one of, if not the best, returning running back in the country and has been named to numerous preseason All-American teams. With renewed energy and the additions at wide receiver via the transfer portal, Love should have even more room to operate and should land on the finalist list during the season.