Josh Pate sees Notre Dame as a clear playoff team in 2026, with 11-1 as his most likely outcome and 12-0 very much on the table. His biggest individual takeaway was CJ Carr, whom he called the obvious breakout player, saying Carr “feels like a lock, year one to year two progression type guy,” while also pointing to Todd McShay’s “best passer at the Manning Passing Academy” quote.
Pate also framed Notre Dame’s profile pretty simply: elite defense, strong returning production, a manageable schedule, and a few questions that matter most in January. He called Leonard Moore “the best corner in the sport,” said the Irish should have “one of the best defenses in college football,” and flagged the pass catchers as the biggest swing factor, asking whether Notre Dame has a true WR1 or just a collection of good complementary options. He also mentioned five-star tight end Ian Premer as a freshman who could help right away.
- Pate said Notre Dame returns the No. 1 returning production figure in the country.
- He called linebacker and corner the team’s best units, highlighting Moore, Christian Gray, and a veteran linebacker group.
- The biggest question on offense was the pass-catching group: Jaden Greathouse, Jordan Faison, Mylan Graham, Quincy Porter, and Premer were all mentioned.
- He does not view running back as a panic spot despite losses there, and singled out Aneyas Williams as a potential 1,000-yard rusher.
- Pate’s range for Notre Dame was 9-3 at worst and 11-1 most likely, with Miami, BYU, and SMU as the games most likely to decide whether the Irish drop one.
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