The Irish must finish strong down the stretch, starting with Navy and then Miami.

Oct 17, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; The Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepare to enter the field before a game against the Brigham Young Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the emergence of NIL money being spread more evenly across the top quadrant of teams in the sport, there is no longer one dominant program that appears to be a heavy title favorite that is head and shoulders above the rest. Parity truly is the name of the game in 2026, with several teams showing signs of greatness followed by showings of mediocre play.

The question now is who rises and who falls as November football tests teams' depth and maturity.

The country is in a holding pattern regarding Notre Dame

Regarding Notre Dame specifically, the Irish find themselves in an interesting and tedious spot. Nobody quite knows which Notre Dame team is the real one.…