2026 Season Predictions

How will Notre Dame finish?

  • Championship

  • Runner Up

  • Semifinals

  • Quarterfinals

  • 1st round loss

  • 10-2, excluded

  • 9-3 or worse, chaos

Results are only viewable after voting.
BleedBlueGold

BleedBlueGold

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Rocketman84 said:
If CJ Carr is a Heisman Finalist, Irish Eyes will be smiling and they will be crowned a long awaited Championship!
Click to expand...

*This isn't my realm of expertise so someone can correct me as needed, but...

I ran an AI simulation on 2026 stats for Carr just to see where he'd land compared to former top QBs and to gauge a range of outcomes. Assuming his 2025 efficiency stays the same for 2026, adding 10 more passes per game to his volume jumps his numbers into a 3500-3700 yard season. Touchdowns climb into the mid-30s. And that doesn't account for improvement or approaching his perceived ceiling.

For comparison, Mendoza didn't have the volume that others like Burrow or Daniels had, but his efficiency allowed him 3500 yards, 41 TDs, 6 INTs, on 72% completion.

I don't envision ND in very many shoot-outs ,thanks to the defense, so Carr's volume might take a hit in that regard. But with the loss of Love/Price, I think it's reasonable to see Carr's attempts increase slightly. Carr doesn't have to win the Heisman, but anything remotely close to 3500, 35 TDs, 6 INTs, and upper 60s percentage for completion and ND is likely in the driver's seat towards a NC. That's precisely why I hedged my comment in such a way. A Heisman caliber season from Carr means he's slingin' it. And assuming the defense is as good as we all project, that bodes well for ND's chances at a title. So much so, that I confidently say, "They WILL win it all."

**Bed-wetters please disregard this post and resume to your normal behaviors.


From ChatGPT:

The benchmark I'd personally watch​

Forget total yards initially. For the first 5–6 games, I'd watch these four:

1. Completion percentage: ≥68%
2. Yards/attempt: ≥9.0
3. TD/INT: at least 3:1
4. Passing efficiency: ~175+

If Carr is sitting around 69%, 9.3 YPA, 18 TD/3 INT and a 180+ rating halfway through the season, I'd become very bullish on Notre Dame winning the whole thing. Because then you're no longer projecting a sophomore breakout. You're looking at a quarterback who has actually entered the Mendoza/Tua/Mac Jones-type efficiency tier while playing behind what should be an elite defense.

And that's the key distinction:

Notre Dame doesn't need CJ Carr to become Joe Burrow. They need him to become efficient enough to make Notre Dame's defensive advantage decisive.

If Carr gets to roughly 3,600–3,800 yards, 35–38 TD and 5–6 INT, I would consider Notre Dame a very serious national championship favorite rather than merely a CFP contender.
Click to expand...
 
Veritate Duce Progredi

Veritate Duce Progredi

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BleedBlueGold said:
*This isn't my realm of expertise so someone can correct me as needed, but...

I ran an AI simulation on 2026 stats for Carr just to see where he'd land compared to former top QBs and to gauge a range of outcomes. Assuming his 2025 efficiency stays the same for 2026, adding 10 more passes per game to his volume jumps his numbers into a 3500-3700 yard season. Touchdowns climb into the mid-30s. And that doesn't account for improvement or approaching his perceived ceiling.

For comparison, Mendoza didn't have the volume that others like Burrow or Daniels had, but his efficiency allowed him 3500 yards, 41 TDs, 6 INTs, on 72% completion.

I don't envision ND in very many shoot-outs ,thanks to the defense, so Carr's volume might take a hit in that regard. But with the loss of Love/Price, I think it's reasonable to see Carr's attempts increase slightly. Carr doesn't have to win the Heisman, but anything remotely close to 3500, 35 TDs, 6 INTs, and upper 60s percentage for completion and ND is likely in the driver's seat towards a NC. That's precisely why I hedged my comment in such a way. A Heisman caliber season from Carr means he's slingin' it. And assuming the defense is as good as we all project, that bodes well for ND's chances at a title. So much so, that I confidently say, "They WILL win it all."

**Bed-wetters please disregard this post and resume to your normal behaviors.


From ChatGPT:
Click to expand...
Did you ChatGPT session take into account the weaker front schedule? Just curious as I'm going to store these numbers away for future reference.
 
NDPhilly

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247 Team Talent Composite is out ... but they confirmed it doesn't include transfer portal grades, just HS grades... making it somewhat useless for today's environment: https://247sports.com/season/2026-football/collegeteamtalentrating/

"The Team Talent Composite rankings do not factor in a player's transfer grade, only how a player ranked as a high school recruit. That's a big issue. It doesn't reflect a player's career trajectory once they leave high school. We're working on it. But the Team Talent Composite still remains a useful metric as a sweeping look at rosters."

No wonder On3 is eating their lunch! I mean how hard could this be to create? I could have claude do it for me!
 
BleedBlueGold

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Veritate Duce Progredi said:
Did you ChatGPT session take into account the weaker front schedule? Just curious as I'm going to store these numbers away for future reference.
Click to expand...

It made a comment on the schedule but I doubt it skewed output relative to defenses in the first half of the schedule. It seemed to be more focused on prior QBs over the last 10-15 years and what output CJ needs to achieve to be comparable. Ultimately, a comparable season lands ND squarely in the mix for a title.

Mendoza wasn’t Burrow or Daniels but IU didn’t need him to be. And I think that was the bottom line for ChatGPT regarding CJ. Build upon last year’s solid season, show improvements, and with a slight bump in volume, his output statistically should be right where ND needs him to be for the offense to handle business against really good teams.

Thats how I interpreted it anyways. ChatGPT has flaws. I don’t always rely on it. But I enjoy the quick banter sometimes and bouncing ideas off it because the feedback is so quick and covers mountains of data.
 
IrishLion

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zelezo vlk said:
It’s because Cincinnati is bad
Click to expand...

calvegas04 said:
I bet he has time to post weekly threads on the cincy site...if they even have enough fans for one
Click to expand...

how-dare-you-james-franco.gif
 
RDU Irish

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Indiana had eight players drafted and two or three picked up quick as UDFA. Mostly offense so I would think they have a step backward on O while the D should be loaded. Easy to imagine Hoover picks against elite Ds being a problem for them.
 
A

allenm5333

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we need to get a list of people who have picked ND to win it all. off the top of my head:
  • Stephen Godfrey
  • Herbstreit
  • Nicole Auerbach
  • Josh Perry
  • Cooper P at 247
  • Feldman
  • Rick Neuheisel

I know I am missing a ton still!
 
M

MeanGreenBeans

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allenm5333 said:
we need to get a list of people who have picked ND to win it all. off the top of my head:
  • Stephen Godfrey
  • Herbstreit
  • Nicole Auerbach
  • Josh Perry
  • Cooper P at 247
  • Feldman
  • Rick Neuheisel

I know I am missing a ton still!
Click to expand...
Tim Murray
Matt Yeomans
Stanford Steve
Chris Fallica
Joel Klatt
Stuckey
 
RDU Irish

RDU Irish

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I think the crux of the issue is we are not used to returning an elite QB. All these folks are going to talk CJ up all season and looks smart b/c we should be heavy favorites until we go to BYU in mid October. Everyone knows they are a pretender, not a contender so odds are we shellack them. Media is set up for three months of CJ Carr love climaxing in November vs defending runner up Miami. Smart business decision.

Per DK
To make Semis +120
To make Finals +270
to win it all down to +600
 
PolishDomer

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allenm5333 said:
we need to get a list of people who have picked ND to win it all. off the top of my head:
  • Stephen Godfrey
  • Herbstreit
  • Nicole Auerbach
  • Josh Perry
  • Cooper P at 247
  • Feldman
  • Rick Neuheisel

I know I am missing a ton still!
Click to expand...
Warren Buffett picked us at 6-6...he should go back to buying companies for cash
images
 
Last edited:
BleedBlueGold

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Classic MSM. Build someone up and if/when they let you down, you gang up to destroy them. All of these clowns have a history of hating ND. Not just picking against them, but actively hating them and outright rooting against them on the job during broadcasts. F them all.

This might sound crazy, but there is a part of me that thinks everyone feels ND is on the verge of a dynasty run and they're all getting in line to be close with the next big program. They're so two-faced. Everyone of them were actively lobbying against ND less than 12 months ago. And now they're all kissing their ass. Just wait and see what happens when ND wins the natty. I seriously hate how picking ND is a popular thing to do right now. Where was all this love from them last year?
 
greyhammer90

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I do think sports journos have a point when they talk about people being impossible to please. If a reporter has us losing in the first round or ranked outside the top five, they are an unmitigated hater and shouldn't be respected because we're loaded. If a reporter has us winning the whole thing, they are committing to a devious plot to raise Notre Dame up so that any fall from grace will be seen as comeuppance.

Idk guys, you ever think that they just want a safe pick, think we might be a top 5 team with a pretty manageable schedule, and once the playoffs start everything is a wash anyway?
 
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