C.J. Carr has the talent, arm, and hype to take Notre Dame to the national title. But one critical factor could determine whether the Irish are truly championship-caliber.

Quarterback CJ Carr during Notre Dame football's Pro Day at Irish Athletic Center on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame will go as far as C.J. Carr will take it in 2026. How's that for a bold prediction?

Stop me if you've heard this before, but if the Irish have a signal-caller who can have an unlimited ceiling, a national championship is within reach.

But let's acknowledge what that would look like.

C.J. Carr has a clear question to answer

When the bullets are flying, is he the trigger-man who can be the difference-maker? One would look at the 10-game winning streak that the Irish finished the season on and conclude that a redshirt freshman who led the nation's No.…