Same Old Notre Dame: All Hype, No Championships

Notre Dame had a chance to become the No. 1 team in America but collapsed against BYU. Why do the Fighting Irish keep falling short in their biggest moments?

Different year. Different team. Same old Notre Dame.

Every single season, the Fighting Irish enter the national championship conversation, fans convince themselves this team is different, and the national media hypes them up as legitimate contenders.

Then comes the big game, and Notre Dame finds another way to lose.

Saturday night was the perfect example.

The No. 2 Fighting Irish traveled to BYU with an opportunity to make a massive statement and potentially take over the No. 1 ranking. Instead, Marcus Freeman’s squad suffered a disappointing 28-24 loss, watching its undefeated season disappear.

And the worst part? Notre Dame had every opportunity to win.

The Irish overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to take a 24-21 lead in the fourth quarter. But when they needed one final defensive stop, BYU marched down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown with less than two minutes remaining.

Quarterback CJ Carr nearly rescued Notre Dame on the final possession, but the Irish couldn’t finish the drive in the end zone. The Big 12 later acknowledged a clock error that denied Notre Dame one additional play, but that doesn’t erase the missed opportunities throughout the game.

At some point, Notre Dame has to stop being satisfied with almost winning these games.

Yes, Freeman deserves credit for taking the Irish to the national championship game following the 2024 season. But Notre Dame lost that game to Ohio State, missed the College Football Playoff in 2025 and has now suffered another devastating defeat in 2026.

For a program constantly discussed among college football’s elite, where are the championships?

Notre Dame has not won a national title since 1988. That’s nearly four decades of hype without bringing home the biggest trophy in college football.

And things aren’t getting any easier.

The Irish still have a massive showdown against No. 1 Miami on November 7. Another loss could put their playoff hopes in serious jeopardy.

Notre Dame is clearly a talented football team. Nobody should question that. But there’s a massive difference between being good enough to compete with elite programs and actually beating them when everything is on the line.

The Fighting Irish keep getting invited into the national championship conversation. Maybe it’s time they actually win something before everyone crowns them contenders again.

College Football Viewing Guide