Notre Dame's Best Shot at a National Championship in 31 Years

Marcus Freeman has Notre Dame football thinking big...very big

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman on the field against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It's been a long time since Notre Dame football entered a postseason with as realistic national championship hopes as it does approaching the College Football Playoff.

I know many of your first thoughts will go straight to the memorable 2012 season and that's something we'll get to, but this Notre Dame squad is truly one of the very best teams in all of college football - something that hasn't been able to be said about the Fighting Irish in a really long time.

Notre Dame's Most Recent Championship Contenders

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) scores on a 1-yard touchdown run against Southern California Trojans safety Akili Arnold (0) in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

I won't say Notre Dame didn't deserve to be in the national championship game back at 2012's conclusion because the format of the BCS certainly said they should.

Just like the College Football Playoff system in 2018 and 2020 both made it clear that Notre Dame deserved entry but in all three of those cases nothing was going to happen once it did.

Notre Dame's title hopes essentially died in 2012 the night Oregon and Kansas State were both upset and Alabama moved back into the No. 2 spot. The only hope Notre Dame had against that Alabama team was the Crimson Tide buses getting lost on their way to then-Sun Life Stadium.

Sure, Notre Dame qualified in 2018 and 2020 but it wasn't beating Clemson or Alabama in the semi-finals either of those years, let alone winning the next round.

Notre Dame Football is Loaded with Talent

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Southern California Trojans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The reason Notre Dame fans should be believing more in December of 2024 is because the Irish are actually on the same level as college football's best teams. it isn't a team that is simply happy to be there and collect a few t-shirts and bowl game giveaways, this is a team that is built to win in a very big way.

If you've paid little attention to Notre Dame this season, you're probably unfamiliar with the star power this team possesses so let's quickly review.

Notre Dame Offensive Star Power

Nov 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) throws the ball during the first half against the Army Black Knights at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Quarterback Riley Leonard isn't going to throw the ball all over the field on anyone but is an elite runner himself.

Jeremiyah Love is as talented as any running back in the nation and scored a rushing touchdown in all 12 games this season. He's complimented incredibly nicely by Jadarian Price who has had his fair share of game breaking plays this year as well.

The wide receivers are the weak point of the offense but are still improved compared to Notre Dame teams of late. Beaux Collins, Jaden Greathouse, and Jayden Harrison are the names to especially become familiar with there. They're complimented nicely by tight ends as Notre Dame has its latest great one in Mitchell Evans.

The offensive line entered the year with just six combined starts but has hit its stride and was named a semi-finalst for the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the nation's best offensive line each year.

Notre Dame's Defensive Depth Paving Way for Irish

Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Howard Cross III (56) tackles Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman (15) at Kyle Field. / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Notre Dame's defense has been among the very best in the nation, surrendering just 13.6 points per game.

It starts up front where no defensive line interior has combined for as many sacks as Notre Dame's this season. Howard Cross III is returning from an ankle injury suffered early in November while Rylie Mills has been a force as the year has gone on.

The linebackers are as deep as they have been in years, headed by Jack Kiser who leads the team with 64 sacks while sophomore Jaiden Ausberry has turned into a star as the season has gone on.

The defensive backs are as good as there are in the country, even after projected first-round NFL draft pick Benjamin Morrison went down with a hip injury in late-September. Xavier Watts is having another spectacular year at safety while cornerbacks Leonard Moore and Christian Gray have been up to the challenge in 2024.

Notre Dame's Tricky Special Teams

Former Notre Dame/Alabama starting QB Tyler Buchner comes up big on a fake punt 👀
pic.twitter.com/Y9tS2DttQZ

— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) November 30, 2024

Gone are the years of Brian Kelly-led Notre Dame teams just trying to get by on special teams and here now are Fighting Irish squads making life miserable for opponents on fourth down. Coordinator Marty Biagi has made it clear that any punt has the potential to be a fake and bought Notre Dame extra possessions this season.

Freshman Bryce Young has been a force in the punt block department, but the field goal unit has been an issue of late as Mitch Jeter has had a very rough go since returning from injury.

Notre Dame's Gets a Little 'Luck of the Irish' in Playoff Draw

The College Football Playoff: pic.twitter.com/dUltIpqwXS

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 8, 2024

Notre Dame has been on a dominant run since its brutal loss to Northern Illinois, playing two competitive games in the 10 played since.

It wasn't able to overcome the bad loss to move into the No. 5 or No. 6 seeds, but it did secure a home game against in-state Indiana. Sure the Hoosiers tempo won't be easy to control but in terms of First Round matchups, this is about as favorable as Notre Dame could ask for.

The second round would feature a game against Georgia, who very possibly could be without starting quarterback Carson Beck, before a semi-final game likely against Penn State, who hasn't won a big game under James Franklin since before Donald Trump was sworn into his first presidency.

It's not a two-foot putt in terms of the bracket but Notre Dame certainly got put in the right side when it comes to chances of making a deep run.

Add it altogether and Notre Dame enters the postseason with its best chance at winning a national championship since 1993 when Florida State was voted No. 1 as a lifetime achievement award for head coach Bobby Bowden.

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