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Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman arrives before playing against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notre Dame vs. Miami: Chance for Freeman to Continue to Shift Narrative

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By Nick Shepkowski | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 10:38 AM ET

Notre Dame football finished one win shy of a national championship last season as it mounted a major comeback to get within 8 of Ohio State in the fourth quarter, before it couldn't get off the field on a third and long.

Despite the 14-2 season that saw Notre Dame beat seven ranked teams in total, including three top squads on its College Football Playoff run, the feeling that Notre Dame has staying power in college football's elites doesn't seem to exist much nationally.

Talking heads nationally have released their personal top 25 rankings ahead of the season, and many of them have Notre Dame rated very similarly. Almost all have Notre Dame in the top 10, but pretty much none have the Fighting Irish in the top five.

There is more respect being put on Notre Dame's name than in any season in recent memory, but it still feels like there remains some stink from the big game blunders the program has suffered previous to 2024.

Essentially, Notre Dame is good enough to be in that second-tier regularly, but we're not convinced they'll be among the true title contenders regularly.

Notre Dame's National Perception is Still Lacking

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

It may be hard for some to believe, but last year's run to the national championship game hasn't killed off all the Notre Dame narratives that have long existed. You've heard the national excuses:

Beat Indiana: "Oh, Indiana wasn't good, they didn't play anyone!"

Beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl: "Oh, Carson Beck didn't play!"

Beat Penn State in Orange Bowl: "Yeah, but Penn State outplayed them!" (Even though they actually didn't).

Don't believe it exists? Look at what Notre Dame returns from last year and try to figure out why it's rated sixth nationally. Sure, there's a new quarterback to break in, but this is a team set up for major success in 2025 and again threaten for a title.

Notre Dame vs. Miami: A Win Shows Fighting Irish Staying Power

MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When you look at Notre Dame in the last three decades, stacking great seasons has been incredibly rare. Since Lou Holtz left following the 1996 season, it took until 2017 and 2018 for them to win 10 games in consecutive seasons again.

Now Notre Dame has won 10 or more games every year but one since 2017, but not all of those are the same. Three of those have ended in College Football Playoff appearances but never has that happened for the program in consecutive years.

Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman enter the 2025 season with sky-high expectations and a realistic national championship contender.

Notre Dame may have arrived last season after its run to Atlanta, but 2025's opener in Miami is the first major test in proving this will be the new expectation, not a one-off every few years.

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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