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The first big challenge for Notre Dame in 2026 is getting through the month of September without a loss on the ledger.
Two weeks in, so far so good on reaching that goal, as the Irish sit at 2-0 and are ranked third in the country as they await Michigan State’s after-dark visit to South Bend this Saturday night.
There have only been two games, and not against the toughest opponents, but there are still some things we’ve learned about this Irish team.
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The Notre Dame defense is on track to be elite
So far, in 2026, the Notre Dame defense is what we thought it’d be. Really good. While losing Brauntae Johnson and Jason Onye to injury in the Wisconsin game is not ideal, the overall results of the defense have been.
Through two games, Notre Dame is allowing an average of just 6.5 PPG to the opponent while causing a boatload of turnovers.
For as stout as the Irish defense has been, it’s not even a finished product yet and will continue to sharpen up and improve as this unit plays more snaps together and the rotations and personnel packages come into ultimate focus. For Chris Ash’s group, the goal is simple. Keep doing what you are doing.
Went to work.#GoIrishpic.twitter.com/u0w4Qo98cS
– Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 13, 2026
The passing offense is still finding itself, and that’s fine
One of the biggest questions everyone had all off-season related to the Irish passing game. CJ Carr can sling it; that was never in doubt. The question had more to do with the receivers.
The Rice game was a step in the right direction towards further cementing a rotation and getting more players involved downfield and building up some group and individual confidence.
It’s clear that Jordan Faison is the leader of this group, but he and CJ Carr need some help. Micah Gilbert, Jaden Greathouse and Jerome Bettis Jr. all took big steps the right direction against the Owls.
This progress needs to continue weekly heading into the meat of the schedule down the road. The Irish passing game doesn’t look like Ohio State’s, but it doesn’t have to. It just needs to be good enough to keep defenses honest.
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The Notre Dame run game is very much a work in progress
Regardless of who the running back carrying the ball is, the Notre Dame run game will get better weekly as the Irish offensive line plays more snaps together; I’m certain of that.
What I have questions about is the running back rotation. I have not seen a big “spark” from Aneyas Williams yet this year, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
I suspect that Ju’Juan Seider will continue to mix and match carries and backs until something naturally clicks. That hasn’t happened yet, as the rushing numbers and efficiency aren’t quite what anyone had hoped for through two weeks.
Nolan James has shown the most wiggle of the group, and I’m interested to see if he gains more carries against the Spartans.
Notre Dame doesn’t need Jeremiyah Love and JD Price in the backfield to win games, but it does need more juice than it has had the first two weeks. This is something to keep an eye on.
Today’s best reads
- Notre Dame Routs Rice – Biggest Takeaways from Home Opener
- Notre Dame Updates Depth Chart for Rice Amid Injury Concerns
- Thoughts After Attending Notre Dame’s Cooking of Rice
- Notre Dame Football Routs Rice: What Went Right and Wrong
- Notre Dame’s Win Over Wisconsin: What Went Right and Wrong
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/notredame as What Early Data Suggests About Notre Dame After Two Games.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 11:26 AM.