Notre Dame reached the national championship game last season primarily on the backs of a stellar defense and a dominant run game. While those facets of the team were important last year, the Irish had a veteran quarterback under center in Riley Leonard. The trust the team had in the senior and his extensive experience should not be underestimated.
With Leonard in the NFL, however, Marcus Freeman has turned the keys to the Ferrari over to freshman CJ Carr. While the grandson of former Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr finds his footing, the need is real for Jeremiyah Love to announce his Heisman candidacy with a stellar effort in South Beach this weekend and the tandem of Leonard Moore and Christian Gray must dominate the defensive backfield.
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Eric Froton (@CFFroton) of NBC Sports takes a deeper dive into the 2025 edition of Notre Dame football offering an overview of the Preseason 6th-ranked team in the country including a look at a key piece of the puzzle, their playoff outlook, and if the Fighting Irish will go over or under their projected win total.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Head Coach: Marcus Freeman (4th year)
2024 Record: 14-2
Bowl/Playoff Appearance: Lost to Ohio State 34-23 in the National Championship
Offense Ranking: 4th
Offensive Returning Starters: 6
Defense Ranking: 7th
Defensive Returning Starters: 6
Notre Dame Team Overview
Notre Dame is brimming with confidence coming off a National Championship game appearance and having the distinction of hosting the first CFP Playoff game to ever be held on a college campus when they defeated Indiana 27-17 in South Bend. The Irish averaged a 20.6 PPG margin of victory in the country with Top 10 marks in offensive yards per play (6.70, 9th), points per drive (3.25, 8th) and defensive EPA per play (2nd). ND returns only 47.1% of their offensive production (82nd nationally) but manage to offset that deficit by 63.9% of their defensive production coming back (20th) to wreak havoc upon the FBS.
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Notre Dame Player to Watch
HB Jeremiyah Love emerged as Notre Dame’s most dynamic offensive weapon in 2024, rushing for 1,125 yards at 6.9 yards per carry with 17 touchdowns while adding 28 receptions for 237 yards. His 62 avoided tackles and 52.5% breakaway run rate highlight his explosive playmaking ability. With a 91.0 PFF offensive grade, he is the centerpiece of a deep and talented Irish backfield entering 2025.
Notre Dame makes the College Football Playoff if:
CJ Carr elevates his play after being named the starting quarterback and provides steady, mistake-free football and RBs Jeremiyah Love/Ja’Darian Price form a lethal backfield combo that runs over opposing defenders behind their Joe Moore Award Finalist offensive line.
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Notre Dame Win Total at DraftKings:
ND is listed at 10.5 Wins (Under -135). Their 22nd-ranked schedule is front-loaded, as the Irish take on Miami in South Beach and Texas A&M in South Bend back-to-back right out of the gate. The schedule lightens up a bit from there, with the toughest remaining games coming at home against NC State and USC and on the road at Pitt. There isn’t much margin for error at 10.5 Wins, but the schedule is reasonable, and the ND defense should once again be excellent. ND is infamous for dumping a game you don’t expect them too (see: NIU just last season) and now they’re inexperienced under center with the CJ Carr/Kenny Minchey duo both likely to see snaps at some point. I lean to the Under 10.5 Wins despite ND being a team I respect, and think is CFP Playoff capable.
Enjoy Notre Dame vs. Miami and all that Week 1 in college football has to offer this weekend.
