A month ago, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit was ready to go to war for Notre Dame, arguing they would come out raging after last season’s playoff snub. Two weeks into the season, the Irish are No. 3 and unbeaten, but Joey Galloway’s confidence is already wavering in this pick.
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“I don’t feel great. I’ve seen LSU now. I’ve seen Ohio State. I’ve seen Texas. Uh, I’ve only seen Notre Dame on television. I haven’t seen them live. Yeah. I don’t feel great about my pick. I don’t, I don’t, I don’t. I’m not even saying that they shouldn’t be ranked where they’re ranked. I’m not saying that,” said ESPN’s Joey Galloway in his conversation with Kirk Herbstreit.
Notre Dame sits at No. 3, while Ohio State has dropped to No. 6 and LSU sits at No. 7, both teams having faced considerably tougher opponents early in the season. This is where his argument came in. It wasn’t even about their specific ranking, but about how, for him, Ohio State and LSU had particularly stood out as possibly better teams who didn’t receive such a top-five rank.
“When we talk about teams and schedules, they better get things right. They got a brutal schedule coming up,” Galloway added. “…I’ll be honest with you. I need to see Notre Dame’s ability to throw the football to make me feel better about them.”
LSU and Ohio State have already faced tougher tests than Notre Dame as Week 3 approaches, and both have made a statement behind. LSU opened the Lane Kiffin era against preseason No. 23 Clemson and didn’t just win; it steamrolled the Tigers 51-10, immediately putting the rest of college football on notice.
Ohio State’s story was different. Despite falling to Texas, the Buckeyes showed exactly why they entered the season ranked No. 1, racing to a 20-3 lead and controlling the game through three quarters before a stunning collapse turned it into a 24-23 defeat.
Speaking of Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish have won their first two games against Wisconsin and Rice, ranked No. 65 and No. 114, respectively. And while the margins of victory have been impressive, they have yet to face the kind of challenges that LSU and the Buckeyes have already encountered, which is why Galloway remains uncertain in his pick.
After drawing some serious interest from NFL franchises, HC Marcus Freeman extended in late 2025, now earning about $10 million yearly.
In theory, Notre Dame’s first six games are favorable, with the Fighting Irish favored by double digits in most of them. If they can take care of business, they can ease into the season without needing to be near-perfect to avoid a loss. After winning their first two, Notre Dame now faces Michigan State and Purdue.
They will face tougher opponents such as the Tar Heels, BYU Cougars, and Navy Midshipmen in October. Then, in November, they will have the toughest test of their schedule when they go head-to-head against the Miami Hurricanes.
Galloway argues that while Notre Dame has won its first two games and made a statement, the Fighting Irish still need to play football that truly impresses people, or at least Galloway himself.
“We know in the past few years they’ve been able to run the football,” Galloway concluded. “They had two NFL backs last year. Their breakdown usually comes in passing situations in the big-time games. Who’s going to be your big-time playmakers outside?”
Last year, they indeed had NFL-calibre running backs in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. However, with them gone, questions will be over who their next big offensive player is.
To put it simply, Notre Dame cannot afford to lose any of its first six games. If the Irish stumble in any of those games, the rest of the season will become much harder for them to manage, especially against tougher opponents. Their schedule is their best friend, and if they can play strategically, then a CFP entry could be assured for them.