Newsstand: ESPN insider gives Notre Dame best national title shot outside AP top six

Notre Dame is a dark horse to win the national championship in January 2025, according to ESPN senior writer and college football insider Heather Dinich .

Dinich said on ESPN’s “Get Up” Tuesday morning that of the teams ranked outside the top six in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, the Irish have the best shot at the title. She cited a few reasons, including the team’s talent in its third season under head coach Marcus Freeman .

“[The Irish have] projected 2025 NFL Draft picks,” Dinich said. “The only teams that have more are Ohio State and Georgia. This team is loaded.”

Additionally, Dinich cited the new 12-team playoff format — which is more kind to the Irish than uninformed fans and pundits believe.

“[Notre Dame] has to win four straight games to win the national title, but it also doesn’t risk losing in a conference championship game, either,” Dinich said. “So, there is that pro side to the Irish independence.

“In addition to the talent, quarterback Riley Leonard , the defense, the coaching staff, these guys have the pieces in place for a really special season.”

In response to the same prompt, “Paul Finebaum Show” host Paul Finebaum chose Missouri. The two also made their cases which top-10 team will be unranked by the end of the season; Finebaum chose Florida State and Dinich chose Michigan.

Notre Dame Tweets of the day

Live, laugh, (Jeremiyah) Love .

Marquette transfer Liza Karlen should be a key piece for Notre Dame women’s basketball this season.

Quote of the day

“Everything we’re doing right now is stuff you’re seeing in the NFL. He really does a good job of putting in everybody at different positions, whether that’s D-linemen, linebackers, safeties, corners. We all rotate, we all play everything. It’s a real versatile defense for everybody, where we can play at different levels and positions.”

— Notre Dame linebacker Jaiden Ausberry on Al Golden

Headlines of the day

• Gimme Five: Putting Notre Dame’s preseason AP ranking in historical context
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• The Gold Standard: Inside look at Fighting Irish recruiting office staffers
• Three unanswered questions through two weeks of Notre Dame football fall camp
• Three questions Notre Dame has answered through two weeks of fall camp
• How Fighting Irish plan to utilize sophomore LB Jaiden Ausberry
• Watch list roundup: Which Notre Dame football players could win major awards?

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