ESPN Analyst Picks Notre Dame for 2026 National Championship Ahead of NBC Opener

With the 2026 college football season kicking off in less than a week, preseason expectations are rising for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, the team is garnering significant support from prominent media figures ahead of their Week 1 matchup.

College GameDay host Rece Davis named Notre Dame as his preseason No. 1 and predicted the program would secure the national title. During an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show,” Davis cited quarterback CJ Carr as a primary factor in his confidence, noting that the Irish are “loaded” and favorable scheduling early in the season could aid a title run. The program has not won a national championship since 1988 under Lou Holtz.

The Irish will begin their campaign at home against the Wisconsin Badgers on Sept. 6. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET start time and will be broadcast nationally. The broadcast rights for Notre Dame home games are held by Comcast Corporation, the media and technology conglomerate that operates the NBC network. Comcast trades in the Communication Services sector.

Notre Dame’s schedule includes road tests later in the season against the Miami Hurricanes on Nov. 7 and the SMU Mustangs on Nov. 21. Davis acknowledged those games but maintained his belief that the team would break through this season.

What to watch

• Notre Dame opens the season at home vs. Wisconsin on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
• Key matchups against Miami (Nov. 7) and SMU (Nov. 21) will test the team’s standing late in the year.
• Quarterback CJ Carr is a Heisman Trophy favorite entering the 2026 season.

Source: original release