Notre Dame football enters the 2026 college football season as one of the sport’s biggest national title contenders. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish return a loaded roster headlined by quarterback CJ Carr, now entering his second year as the starter. The talent is undeniable, but even with a team this deep, some questions need to be answered before South Bend can celebrate its first national championship since 1988.

The odds favor Notre Dame making another College Football Playoff run. That said, there are legitimate concerns that could hold this team back if they go unaddressed. Here is a look at the potential pitfalls the Irish will need to navigate as they head into next season.

Can the offense adjust after losing its explosive rushing attack?

The departure of running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, both first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, creates a significant shift in how opposing defenses will approach Notre Dame. The Irish still have a talented running back room with Aneyas Williams, Kedren Young, Javian Osborne, Nolan James Jr., and Jonaz Walton, but the dynamic is going to change.

Love and Price gave Notre Dame an explosive rushing attack that allowed Carr to accentuate the passing game on his terms. With defenses now keying on Carr as the focal point of the offense, the passing game will need to create more big plays, particularly early in games, to set up what figures to be a more efficiency-based run game in 2026.

Can Carr take that next step? He showed tremendous promise as a first-year starter, throwing 24 touchdown passes to just six interceptions while completing over 66 percent of his passes. The arrow is pointing up, but this will be a different challenge.

The boundary receiver question remains unanswered

While this is one of the deepest Notre Dame wide receiver rooms in recent years, there is a legitimate question at boundary receiver, a position that has been a very important piece of offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s scheme.

Quincy Porter, the former five-star recruit who transferred from Ohio State this offseason, is unquestionably talented. But with Porter limited this offseason due to injury, there are still question marks about how productive he can be as a sophomore in 2026.

Beyond Porter, the most reasonable option is redshirt sophomore Micah Gilbert, who caught just nine passes for fewer than 100 yards last season. One of those two players will need to take a massive step for this passing offense to become complete. Without consistent production at the boundary receiver, Notre Dame could face limitations in stretching the field vertically.

Who steps up as the secondary pass rusher?

Notre Dame’s defensive line should be a tremendous group, anchored by star defensive end Boubacar Traore. Barring injury, there should be an expectation that Traore is one of the better defensive ends in college football next season. The question is, who consistently generates pressure alongside him?

Can Bryce Young, Keon Keeley, or Rodney Dunham make a huge impact as a complementary pass rusher? Is there an interior defensive tackle like Francis Brewu who can affect the pocket regularly?

Notre Dame knows what it has in Traore, but the quality of the secondary pass rush could be the difference in winning a big football game when the Irish desperately need to get after the quarterback.

Health remains the great unknown

The last major concern is one that is completely out of Notre Dame’s control, and it is something the program has dealt with frequently over the last few years. Even during the 2024 national title run, the Irish were hit hard by injuries, including Love going down late in the season. The offensive line has been particularly affected, with Ashton Craig and Charles Jagusah missing significant time in recent seasons.

If Notre Dame can stay relatively healthy compared to what it has endured over the last couple of years, this roster has more than enough talent and depth to win a national championship in 2026. Predicting health is impossible, but the Irish will be hopeful that the injury luck turns in their favor.

The foundation for a special season is in place in South Bend. Whether Notre Dame can overcome these four hurdles will determine if the Fighting Irish finally break through for that elusive title.