Notre Dame Football Tops Returning Production for 2026 Season

ESPN's Bill Connelly's analysis shows the Fighting Irish have the most returning offensive and defensive talent in college football.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:07am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a college football game, with sharp, overlapping planes of navy blue, gold, and emerald green representing the players, field, and stadium.Notre Dame's strong returning production sets the stage for a promising 2026 college football season.Notre Dame Today

According to ESPN's Bill Connelly, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team has the highest percentage of returning production from the 2025 season, bringing back 67% of their offensive output and an impressive 77% of their defensive production. This strong returning talent, led by quarterback CJ Carr, has the Irish pegged as a top national championship contender for the 2026 season.

Why it matters

Returning production is a key metric in predicting college football success, as teams that bring back a significant portion of their previous year's statistical output tend to perform better. Notre Dame's high ranking in this area suggests they have the potential to build on their 2025 campaign and compete for a national title in 2026.

The details

Despite losing key players like running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, Notre Dame's offensive and defensive depth has them atop the returning production rankings. Quarterback CJ Carr's 2,741 passing yards from 2025 carry significant weight, while defensive standouts like Boubacar Traore and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa also boost the Irish's numbers. Notre Dame's 2026 schedule also appears favorable, with only two top-25 teams in terms of returning production on the slate.

  • The 2026 college football season is set to kick off in the fall of 2026.

The players

CJ Carr

The starting quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Carr returns after throwing for 2,741 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2025.

Boubacar Traore

A defensive standout for the Irish, Traore recorded 78 tackles and 12 tackles for loss in 2025.

Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

A key contributor on the Notre Dame defense, Viliamu-Asa had 65 tackles and 9 tackles for loss in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“Returning production is a mathematical formula that quantifies a team's statistical output from the previous season that is expected to carry over into the upcoming one.”

— Bill Connelly, ESPN Analyst

What’s next

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will look to translate their strong returning production into success on the field when the 2026 college football season kicks off in the fall.

The takeaway

Notre Dame's high ranking in returning production suggests they have the potential to be a national title contender in 2026, but as with any season, the true test will come when they take the field and compete against their opponents.