College football Top 25: Can No. 8 Notre Dame make it back to title game with new quarterback?
Now that it's August, there are less than three weeks until Kansas State and Iowa State meet in Dublin to begin the 2025 regular season. And since the season is quickly approaching, we're rolling out our preseason Top 25.
Next up in our rankings is the No. 8 team, and the rest will be revealed in the coming days. (All odds are from BetMGM.)
Previously: Nos. 11 through 25, No. 10 Miami, No. 9 Alabama
No. 8 Notre Dame
2024 record: 14-2
2025 national championship odds: 12-1
Odds to make College Football Playoff: -200
2024 in 100 words
A season that could have gone south after a Week 2 stunner simply didn't. Notre Dame suffered one of the biggest upsets of the season in a 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois. The game came after the Irish beat Texas A&M, 23-13, on the road to start the season.
Notre Dame rebounded the next week with a 66-7 shellacking of Purdue on the way to 13 consecutive wins. The last three came in the College Football Playoff as the Irish beat Indiana, Georgia and Penn State before losing to Ohio State in the national title game.
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The quarterback
CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey
Notre Dame's three-man QB competition was whittled to two during the spring when Steve Angeli entered the transfer portal and ultimately transferred to Syracuse. Angeli served as Riley Leonard's backup in 2024 and was seen as a potential favorite to be the starter in 2025.
Instead, that starter will be either Carr or Minchey, and head coach Marcus Freeman hasn't given any indication yet on who will get the job.
Quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli told the Athletic last week that it was '50-50' between Carr and Minchey to be the Week 1 starter when Notre Dame opens at Miami. Neither player has thrown a pass in a college football game.
Carr is the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. Minchey may not be as refined as Carr is throwing the football, but he's an exceptional runner. Both were four-star recruits. Carr was the No. 4 pro-style QB in the class of 2024 behind Dylan Raiola, Julian Sayin and Air Noland. Minchey was the No. 12 pro-style QB in the class of 2023.
Whoever wins the job won't have to carry the offense on his own. There's plenty of experience elsewhere to lighten the load.
Non-QB to watch
WR Malachi Fields
With Beaux Collins and Mitchell Evans gone, the fifth-year senior transfer from Virginia should play a big role in 2025.
Fields was Virginia's leading receiver in 2024 with 55 catches for 808 yards and five scores. That came after a 2023 season where he finished with 58 catches for 811 yards and five TDs.
At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, Fields is yet another big receiver for a program that loves them. Jaden Greathouse, at 6-1 and 255, returns after having 42 catches for 592 yards and four scores a year ago. He exploded in the College Football Playoff with seven catches for 105 yards and a TD against Penn State and six catches for 128 yards and two scores against Ohio State. Having two massive targets for a young quarterback to throw to isn't the world's worst idea.
Best position group
Running back
No matter who ends up starting at quarterback for the Fighting Irish, the offense should be led by a diverse run game once again. As the passing offense sputtered at the start of 2024, Notre Dame leaned into Leonard's strengths as a runner. The QB rushed for over 900 yards and 17 TDs a season ago.
Replicating that production from the QB position may be impossible. But there's plenty of depth at running back. Jeremiyah Love is back after rushing for 1,125 yards and 17 scores last season. He is one of the best backs in college football. Behind him are Jadarian Price (746 yards in 2024) and Aneyas Williams. All three averaged over six yards a carry in 2024.
The offensive line should also be a strength. Anthonie Knapp held his own at tackle as a freshman in 2024, and Ashton Craig should also be back healthy. Getting back Charles Jagusah at some point this season will also be key. The projected starter at right guard suffered a broken arm in an ATV accident this summer.
Biggest game
Oct. 18 vs. USC
You can argue that the opener against Miami and the Week 3 game against Texas A&M are much bigger on their own than USC's trip to South Bend. There's not an implausible world where Notre Dame is 0-2 after those two contests, especially if the quarterback position isn't settled.
But we think Notre Dame gets at least one win, if not two, from those two games. And USC could be the last big test for the Irish. The Trojans could be much better in 2025. If Notre Dame gets past USC, it has Boston College, Navy, Pitt, Syracuse and Stanford the rest of the season. The Irish will be heavily favored in all five of those games and already penciled into the College Football Playoff if they're 5-2 or better after playing USC.
Why Notre Dame is No. 8
We're gonna use this space to talk about a Notre Dame defense that was fantastic in 2024. The Irish allowed fewer than 16 points per game and opponents completed just 52% of their passes for 169 yards per game.
The secondary loses Armani Watts, but three starters are back. The linebacking group is fantastic too, with Drayk Bowen returning (78 tackles) and the addition of DeVonta Smith from Alabama (no, not the Eagles wide receiver).
There will be some turnover on the defensive line, but this should still be one of the better defenses in college football. Couple that with an offense that should have no problem controlling games via the run, and you have a team that will be in the running to again host a first-round game in the College Football Playoff.
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