Notre Dame Fighting Irish
FBS Independents
11-2 (5-0 conf)
SP+ #11AP #5
Ratings
2021
- SP+
- 17.4 (#11)
- SP+ Offense
- 36.2
- SP+ Defense
- 18.9
- SRS
- 16.4
- FPI
- 16.7
- Elo
- 1990
- Talent
- 853
- Recruiting
- 269 (#9)
Schedule
record 11–2
Schedule
24th
toughest of 130
Offenses faced
11th
toughest of 130
Defenses faced
24th
toughest of 130
Strength of schedule — how tough this team's opponents are, ranked 1 (hardest) to 130 (easiest).
| Wk | Opponent | SP+ | Score | Margin | Res |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @Florida State | +7.6 | 41-38 | +3 | W |
| 2 | vsToledo | +6.9 | 32-29 | +3 | W |
| 3 | vsPurdue | +10.3 | 27-13 | +14 | W |
| 4 | NWisconsin | +20.1 | 41-13 | +28 | W |
| 5 | vsCincinnati | +21.2 | 13-24 | -11 | L |
| 6 | @Virginia Tech | +2.4 | 32-29 | +3 | W |
| 8 | vsUSC | -0.6 | 31-16 | +15 | W |
| 9 | vsNorth Carolina | +6.4 | 44-34 | +10 | W |
| 10 | vsNavy | -8.5 | 34-6 | +28 | W |
| 11 | @Virginia | +7.2 | 28-3 | +25 | W |
| 12 | vsGeorgia Tech | -6.7 | 55-0 | +55 | W |
| 13 | @Stanford | -10.2 | 45-14 | +31 | W |
| 1 ·P | NOklahoma State | +17.2 | 35-37 | -2 | L |
Running Backs · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | 1st | Kyren Williams | — | — | — | — |
| RB | 2nd | Logan Diggs | SR | 6'1" | 215 | ★★★ |
| RB | 3rd | Audric Estime | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| RB | 4th | C'Bo Flemister | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| RB | 5th | Leo Albano | — | — | — | — |
Wide Receivers · 8
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 1st | Kevin Austin | — | — | — | — |
| WR | 2nd | Chris Tyree | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| WR | 3rd | Tyler Buchner | SR | 6'1" | 215 | ★★★★ |
| WR | 4th | Avery Davis | — | — | — | — |
| WR | 5th | Braden Lenzy | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| WR | 6th | Deion Colzie | SR | 6'4" | 211 | ★★★★ |
| WR | 7th | Joe Wilkins | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| WR | 8th | Matt Salerno | — | — | — | — |
Tight Ends · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | 1st | Michael Mayer | — | — | — | ★★★★★ |
| TE | 2nd | George Takacs | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| TE | 3rd | Davis Sherwood | — | — | — | — |
| TE | 4th | Mitchell Evans | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| TE | 5th | Kevin Bauman | SR | 6'5" | 253 | ★★★★ |
Offensive Line · 2
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OL | — | Andrew Kristofic | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| OL | — | Joe Alt | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
Defensive Line · 12
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL | 1st | Isaiah Foskey | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| DL | 2nd | Jayson Ademilola | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| DL | 3rd | Justin Ademilola | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| DL | 4th | Kurt Hinish | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| DL | 5th | Howard Cross III | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| DL | 6th | Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| DL | 7th | Rylie Mills | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| DL | 8th | Jordan Botelho | SR | 6'3" | 260 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 9th | Nana Osafo-Mensah | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| DL | 10th | Jacob Lacey | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| DL | 11th | Alexander Ehrensberger | — | — | — | — |
| DL | — | Aidan Keanaaina | SR | 6'3" | 320 | ★★★★ |
Linebackers · 9
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | 1st | JD Bertrand | — | — | — | — |
| LB | 2nd | Drew White | — | — | — | — |
| LB | 3rd | Bo Bauer | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| LB | 4th | Jack Kiser | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| LB | 5th | Isaiah Pryor | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| LB | 6th | Prince Kollie | SR | 6'1" | 227 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 7th | Kahanu Kia | SO | 6'2" | 229 | ★★★ |
| LB | 8th | Adam Shibley | — | — | — | — |
| LB | 9th | Will Schweitzer | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Defensive Backs · 13
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | 1st | Cam Hart | — | — | — | — |
| CB | 2nd | TaRiq Bracy | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| CB | 3rd | Lorenzo Styles Jr. | SR | 6'1" | 195 | ★★★★ |
| DB | 1st | Clarence Lewis | — | — | — | — |
| DB | 2nd | Ramon Henderson | — | — | — | — |
| DB | 3rd | KJ Wallace | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| S | 1st | Houston Griffith | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| S | 2nd | DJ Brown | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| S | 3rd | Kyle Hamilton | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| S | 4th | Xavier Watts | — | — | — | — |
| S | 5th | Justin Walters | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| S | 6th | Litchfield Ajavon | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| S | 7th | Chris Velotta | — | — | — | — |
Special Teams · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LS | 1st | Michael Vinson | — | — | — | — |
| P | 1st | Jay Bramblett | — | — | — | — |
| PK | 1st | Jonathan Doerer | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| PK | — | Harrison Leonard | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| PK | — | Josh Bryan | — | — | — | ★★★ |
2021 · pct vs FBS
SP+ Off
36.285
Off PPA
+0.2568
Pass PPA
+0.3776
Rush PPA
+0.1033
Success
43%50
Explosive
1.3583
PlayerMedian (50th)percentile vs league
SP+ Trend
points vs avg team
— Overall— Offense— Defense
SP+ = opponent-adjusted points vs an average team. Overall & Offense higher = better; Defense lower = better.
Advanced
2021 · opponent-adjusted PPA / play
| Split | Offense | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | +0.25 | +0.08 |
| Passing | +0.37 | +0.09 |
| Rushing | +0.10 | +0.06 |
| 1st Down | +0.10 | -0.06 |
| 2nd Down | +0.20 | +0.12 |
| 3rd Down | +0.64 | +0.26 |
Scoring Trend
2021 · pts/game
PPG For
35.3
PPG Against
18.3
Differential
+17.0
— Points for— Points against
dots: W / LResults
2021
- Overall
- 11-1
- Home
- 6-1
- Away
- 4-0
- Neutral
- 1-0
- Conference
- 5-0
- Non-Conference
- 6-1
- One-Score (≤8)
- 3-0
- Avg Margin
- +17.0
Situational Splits
2021 · record · pts
| Split | Record | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | |||
| Home | 6-1 | 33.7 | 17.4 |
| Away | 4-0 | 36.5 | 21.0 |
| Neutral | 1-1 | 38.0 | 25.0 |
| Competition | |||
| vs Ranked (SP+ 25) | 1-2 | 29.7 | 24.7 |
| Conference | 5-0 | 40.0 | 20.8 |
| Non-conference | 6-2 | 32.3 | 19.0 |
Season History · last 12
5 AP top-10 · 10 postseason
| Season | Record | Conf | SP+ | AP | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10-2 | 0-0 | #5 | #6 | — |
| 2024 | 11-1 | 0-0 | #8 | #2 | 3-1 |
| 2023 | 9-3 | 0-0 | #8 | #9 | 1-0 |
| 2022 | 8-4 | 1-0 | #35 | #5 | 1-0 |
| 2021 | 11-1 | 5-0 | #11 | #5 | 0-1 |
| 2020 | 10-1 | 9-1 | #5 | — | 0-1 |
| 2019 | 10-2 | 0-0 | #19 | — | 1-0 |
| 2018 | 12-0 | 0-0 | #13 | — | 0-1 |
| 2017 | 9-3 | 0-0 | #12 | — | 1-0 |
| 2016 | 4-8 | 0-0 | #18 | — | — |
| 2015 | 10-2 | 0-0 | #8 | — | 0-1 |
| 2014 | 7-5 | 0-0 | #34 | — | 1-0 |
Recent Form · last 5
4-1 SU · 4-0 ATS · O1/U3
Betting Profile
2021 · 12 w/ line
| Straight up | 11-2 |
| ATS | 9-375% |
| Over / Under | 6-6 O-U |
| — ATS splits — | |
| As favorite | 7-2 |
| As underdog | 1-1 |
| Home | 5-2 |
| Away | 3-1 |
vs closing line · splits show cover–no cover
Recruiting Classes
avg #12 · 169 blue-chip
■ 5★■ 4★■ 3★235 rated signees
| Class | Natl | Pts | 5★ | 4★ | 3★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12 | 270 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| 2024 | #9 | 276 | 0 | 15 | 7 |
| 2023 | #12 | 273 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
| 2022 | #7 | 275 | 1 | 17 | 4 |
| 2021 | #9 | 269 | 0 | 14 | 10 |
| 2020 | #17 | 251 | 1 | 9 | 2 |
| 2019 | #16 | 259 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| 2018 | #10 | 269 | 0 | 14 | 13 |
| 2017 | #10 | 251 | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| 2016 | #15 | 249 | 1 | 9 | 8 |
247Sports composite · class rank vs all FBS
Roster Talent
talent #12
Returning prod 37%Departed 63%
Talent composite853.1 #12 / 224
Returning usage (pass / rush / rec)2 / 75 / 56
returning PPA · portal · talent composite · 2021
Injury Report · 0
No injuries reported.
Team News
20 items
- Notre Dame football could have the upper hand for a fast-rising defensive lineman based on a recent recruiting trendNotre Dame football just extended a very interesting 2028 scholarship offer. A recent recruiting trend could be very helpful.ND9h
- Notre Dame football's three most important defensive position battles to watch heading into 2026 fall campNotre Dame football heads into the 2026 season with a potentially elite defense. It will depend on a couple of key position battles.ND10h
- Notre Dame football's 15 biggest recruiting wins under HC Marcus Freeman, ranked after latest 5-star commitmentNotre Dame landed a massive commitment from 5-star Albert Simien. Where does he rank amongst Marcus Freeman's biggest recruiting wins?ND10h
- Notre Dame football's three most important offensive position battles to watch heading into the 2026 fall campJust how good is the Notre Dame offense going to be heading into the 2026 CFB season? Three position battles could determine it.ND11h
- Three things I like about Notre Dame DB Tae JohnsonWho are the best 20 players on Notre Dame’s football team this season, and what is there to like about them?
- Notre Dame Should Accept Their Role As The Villain Of College FootballStop chasing approval and embrace the hate. With a powerhouse roster and a bullseye on their back, the Irish must trade self-righteousness for a ruthless new era.ND14h
- Notre Dame is one massive update away from landing a historic 2027 recruiting class – An important date remainsNotre Dame is putting together a historic 2027 class. There are only a couple of important targets to know, especially for a complete group.ND15h
- Notre Dame football still has one remaining obstacle to get past to complete a potentially historic 2027 defensive line classNotre Dame football is on the cusp of history. There is one remaining priority target to keep a close eye on for HC Marcus Freeman.ND15h
- Former elite Notre Dame recruiting target is predicted to land with an SEC power ahead of his commitment dateNotre Dame landed a commitment from 2028 quarterback Trey Tagliaferri last week. Another talented signal caller is set to come off the board.ND17h
- Everything to know about Notre Dame's elite 2027 recruiting class, with only a couple of key targets remainingWhere do things stand with the 2027 Notre Dame recruiting class? Only a couple of priority targets and key questions remain.ND17h
- 10 College Football Playoff guarantees for 2026: Notre Dame embraces villain role, 2 ACC teams get inThe College Football Playoff is infamously hard to predict, CBS Sports bowl expert Brad Crawford is standing by these 10 guarantees for the fallND18h
- Notre Dame not chosen by 2028 4-star who opts to stay in FloridaNotre Dame football missed out on 2028 Florida 4-star wide receiver who chose to stay home and play in-state.ND21h
- Notre Dame's Top Five Best Single Season Defensive Performances 2000-2025From Manti Te’o’s historic Heisman run to Justin Tuck’s relentless pass rushing, rediscover the legendary playmakers and record-breaking seasons that defined two decades of dominant Irish defense.ND1d
- Notre Dame 2026 Player Profile: Wide Receiver Dylan FaisonThe dynamic dual-sport athlete arrives in South Bend with elite quickness. Discover how this freshman standout plans to master the playbook and carve his own legacy on offense.ND2d
- Three things I like about Notre Dame LB Drayk BowenWho are the best 20 players on Notre Dame’s football team this season, and what is there to like about them?
- 2027 standout guard Albert Simien picks Notre DameSimien figures to be a huge part of what the Fighting Irish will do up front in 2027.ND2d
- Nebraska misses out on five-star recruit Albert Simien to Notre DameFive-star interior offensive lineman Albert Simien committed to Notre Dame over Nebraska on Friday afternoon after a cooperative commitment.ND2d
- Predicting the next five Notre Dame commitments following the Fighting Irish landing elite OL Albert SimienNotre Dame landed a massive commitment from elite 2027 OL Albert Simien. Who are the next potential commitments for the Fighting Irish?ND3d
- Notre Dame football didn't just land another elite 5-star player – They made a recruiting statement to the rest of CFBNotre Dame just made a massive recruiting statement to the rest of CFB. HC Marcus Freeman and the Irish continue to up their game.ND3d
- LSU football loses elite Louisiana lineman to Notre DameLSU football watched a Louisiana five-star commit to Notre Dame today. Louisiana's top three recruits are now committed elsewhere.ND3d