​This has actually been a vacation week for me, so let’s catch up with the latest Notre Dame football news with a quick option play. ESPN’s new preseason FPI rankings place the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as the No. 3 team in the country, trailing only the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 1 and the Texas Longhorns at No. 2. Being in the top five is always a nice badge of honor, but the FPI raises some issues worth discussing.
First, there is one big issue that stands out. The apparent glaze over the SEC is hard to explain. Twelve teams from that conference—almost half of the top 25, if my math is correct—dominate ESPN’s favored group of teams. This is exactly the kind of yearly pattern where committees and pollsters hype the SEC’s strength as if it’s the only measure. It’s frustrating and feels almost transparent, like a car windshield.
As for officiating, the ACC is losing its top official. The big question is whether this change will help them shed the reputation of having some of the most inconsistent officiating in the country. According to Landon Tengwall, the impact could be significant. He put together nearly an hour’s worth of film breakdown, and I highly recommend watching his analysis to understand the potential implications.
There are rumors that Notre Dame and BYU may be considering additional scheduled football games, along with other sports tie-ins. Whether that’s a net positive or not remains to be seen, but it’s worth weighing the possibilities and potential benefits.
Miami did receive a number of favorable calls last season. Whether they can replicate that luck in 2026 remains uncertain, but Jaime Uyeyama offers an in-depth take on the Canes’ odds and what to expect. It’s a thoughtful look at where Miami stands now and what could happen going forward.
Notre Dame’s mantra this season is LEAVE NO DOUBT. The ESPN playoff predictor currently gives the Irish a 74.4% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, making them the second-best position in the country for a field that many consider wide open. Notre Dame has long been viewed as a championship contender, and some analysts even project a national-title run for the Irish this season. One notable example comes from Polymarket, which, while not a decisive predictor for everyone, signals strong public interest in the possibility.
We also have concrete dates and locations locked in for the College Football Playoff landscape, which should help with scheduling and SEO. With a lot of moving parts and several major storylines shaping the season, there’s plenty to keep an eye on as Notre Dame moves forward.