The bye week arrives at the right time for Notre Dame football. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish have a chance to step back, reevaluate, and make some necessary changes before the most important stretch of the 2026 college football season.

It also offers a good chance to evaluate the five games left on the Notre Dame schedule. After the 28-24 loss to BYU, the Irish are playing for their College Football Playoff lives, and they most likely need to win all five to get in.

The road ahead runs through Navy at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where the Patriots play. Miami comes to South Bend on Nov. 7, followed by home games against Boston College and SMU. The regular season closes on the road against Syracuse.

Here is how I see each of those games playing out.

Navy is more annoying than dangerous

Navy is a tricky game, but not because the Midshipmen are good. I don’t think they are a great team this season. The bye week gives Notre Dame a mental reset and plenty of time to prepare for the triple option, which helps.

The problem is the calendar. Miami is the following week, and while Freeman and his staff will preach one game at a time, it is almost impossible for players not to look ahead. This isn’t a trap game. It’s just an annoying one, because the Irish have to prepare for the triple option while most eyes are already on Nov. 7.

I don’t care much about the final score here. If Notre Dame struggles early and still wins by four touchdowns, that’s fine. The Irish are much more talented, and I expect them to take care of business by a healthy margin.

Miami will define the season

Mario Cristobal, quarterback Darian Mensah, and a really good Miami team are coming to South Bend, and Notre Dame needs to be ready. The margin for error is gone after the BYU loss, and this is one of the program’s most hated rivals.

Catholics vs. Convicts will be talked about all week. The home crowd will be electric, and there will be a lot of competitive anxiety in that stadium. On top of that, Notre Dame is hosting a huge recruiting weekend, so the Irish have a chance to make a massive impact on the field and off it.

I understand why many Notre Dame fans are pessimistic. Miami has a No. 1 next to its name in the latest AP poll. Still, I think the Irish can win this game. They have home-field advantage, and Miami isn’t perfect. If you watched the Hurricanes against Florida State in recent weeks, you saw a team that can get it done.

I don’t have a final score yet. Whether it’s by three or by 40, Notre Dame needs to win, and I’m predicting the Irish to get it done.

Clear sailing down the stretch

If Notre Dame gets past Miami, the final three games set up nicely.

Boston College isn’t a good team under head coach Bill O’Brien, who is having trouble adjusting to the transfer portal era. The Irish can start sluggish and still win by a healthy margin at home.

SMU deserves more respect. Kevin Jennings is a good college quarterback, and Rhett Lashlee is a head coach I really like. The Mustangs can run the football, but they are very much a spread-oriented offense that wants to throw it around a ton. Notre Dame has the clear talent advantage and a defense that can stifle that approach. The Irish need to win convincingly and do it early.

Syracuse has a messy quarterback situation, with Steve Angeli and Amari Odom both banged up and Malachi Nelson playing quarterback. The Orange just aren’t a great team under head coach Fran Brown. Even on the road, I think Notre Dame wins.

Final prediction

When I look at this schedule, I see a 5-0 finish for Notre Dame. That would put the Irish at 11-1, and I believe they make the College Football Playoff.

I understand there is skepticism out there. The Navy game is one the Irish should win comfortably, and the final three are all winnable against less talented rosters. Miami is the test, and we will talk about that matchup at length leading up to Nov. 7.