
Notre Dame football is once again living on the edge. The Irish entered the 2025 season with playoff hopes, but early September losses to Texas A&M and Miamihave left Marcus Freeman’s team facing the same problem that has haunted them in recent years: too little margin for error.
At 2-2, every game left on the schedule is essentially a playoff test. A 10-2 finish may not even be enough to reach the College Football Playoff, depending on how other contenders finish. That pressure makes the rest of the season both stressful and unforgiving for players and fans.
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The frustration is that Notre Dame has shown what it can be at its best. Last season, after a stunning home loss to Northern Illinois, the Irish regrouped and rattled off 11 straight wins to put themselves back into the conversation. It proved Freeman can steady the ship. What it didn’t prove is that his program can avoid the hole in the first place.
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Notre Dame’s ability to bounce back has become a point of pride. But in today’s playoff system, it’s not sustainable. Teams that stumble in September are playing catch-up all year. To reach the next level, Freeman’s group has to flip that script – winning early, stacking statement victories, and carrying momentum into November.
The Irishdon’t lack talent. With Chris Ash now leading the defense and veteran playmakers on both sides of the ball, the roster is built to compete with anyone. The real challenge is consistency from the opening whistle in Week 1.
Notre Dame’s ambitious scheduling hasn’t made things easier. Opening back-to-back seasons at Texas A&M and Miami is a tough assignment, even for an elite program. While those matchups grab national attention, they also leave little margin for missteps.
Looking ahead, the path is simple but steep: win one week at a time, keep the playoff hope alive, and hope chaos elsewhere opens the door. But the real growth for Freeman and Notre Dame won’t come from another late-season surge. It will come when September no longer feels like a trap, but a launch pad.
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