After months of excitement, overreactions, and some understandable anxiety in anticipation, the 2025 Notre Dame football season kicks off on Sunday night against the Miami Hurricanes. Everyone has heard all of the headlines, including the battle between Fighting Irish redshirt freshman signal caller CJ Carr and Georgia transfer Carson Beck. Both teams also enter the team inside of the top ten rankings in College Football. 

As we are now inside of 24 hours until kickoff from Hard Rock Stadium, it’s time to sit back, and let all the work for the Fighting Irish speak louder than all of the offseason words. Whether you have been incredibly high on head coach Marcus Freeman’s squad or not entering the year, we are soon going to know just how good this team can be. Just be open to whether you were right or wrong. 

Be where your feet are 

Nothing is going to give Irish fans more anxiety than breaking in a new starting quarterback in a big game, even if you have complete faith in Carr. The odds are that he will end up being a very good player for the Blue and Gold, but he is still just a redshirt freshman who has never thrown a collegiate pass. The great part for Carr, however, is that he has some great support around him. 

Not many first-year starters can say they have the best running back in college football like Jeremiyah Love. Even less can say they have that, as well as an offensive line that returns four of five starters up front. The one “non-starter” returning is also most likely going to be a 6-7, 335-pound behemoth in Guerby Lambert. If he falters, then a 6-8, 327-pound giant (Sullivan Absher) will fill in. Carr should feel pretty secure back there. 

Then you add in an improved Fighting Irish wide receiver room. With the continued ascension of Jaden Greathouse, as well as the additions of Malachi Fields and Will Pauling to go along with Jordan Faison and tight end Eli Raridon, the pass catching options should be worlds better. This is the deepest wide receiver group Notre Dame has had in recent memory. 

Quite simply, this is a hope for Carr, and I pray he listens. Be where your feet are. 

What I think I know 

With how Coach Freeman has gotten this team prepared for big games since he took over, I’m not concerned with Notre Dame being ready for this contest. The days of Brian Kelly and underprepared football teams are long gone, and they have continued to show in his time with the LSU Tigers. It’s been a long time since Irish fans felt confident going into these big games, but that is what Freeman has brought to South Bend. 

For the Notre Dame players who were a part of the 2024 team, and there are a lot of them, they felt the pain they had when they lost the national championship game to the Ohio State Buckeyes. It was a tremendous third season under Coach Freeman, including a program record 14 victories, but that final game loss seems to be fueling this team. We have heard players like Love and Greathouse continuously mention that pain. It seems to be driving this team to get back to the championship game again, and having high hopes for coming out on the winning side this time.

With this being the first game since coming off that defeat, I am not worried about Notre Dame starting flat. If this team has the character that I believe it does, they will be ready to counteract the hostile environment of Hard Rock Stadium, and get that crowd quiet quickly.

What I have no idea about

Leave Carr out of the conversation for a second. Yes, just how good he is is a concern until it isn’t anymore. Perhaps my biggest concern, however, is defensive coordinator Chris Ash and what his game plan is going to look like against the Hurricanes. Coach Ash has had some nice parts of his resume, but it has been a long time since he has been a successful defensive play caller. He has a lot of talent to work with, but just how good will he be in his first game leading the show?

Other than Coach Ash, I am excited (perhaps more anxious) to see how good the Irish defensive line is. I believe that Boubacar Traore is going to be a star. I also believe that defensive tackle Jason Onye is going to be a massive breakout, as well as sophomore defensive end Bryce Young. Will this defensive line be able to make its impact felt this early, and in this type of environment?

Carson Beck is a quarterback who struggles against pressure. Getting after Beck could determine whether the Irish come out on top in the end.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

The Miami Hurricanes have an advantage that Notre Dame football will need to find an answer to heading into the season opener 

Miami has an advantage over Notre Dame they need to find an answer to

Ryan Roberts