Of all the things to praise Notre Dame for heading into a 2026 season many believe will end with a national title, its players’ average weight is certainly a new one. Can the Irish being among the “beefiest” teams in the country be another way to underline just how good the squad could be?
The answer is yes and no. According to data from CollegeFootballData.com, Marcus Freeman’s squad is one of the heavier programs in the country by average weight. Some teams on the list are expected to contend for the national title, while others are just hoping to make a bowl. So does being one of the beefiest teams in the country give the Irish an edge?
Unsurprisingly, the heaviest teams list was compiled by the Sickos committee Twitter account as mostly a fun thing to talk about as everyone waits for the games to start this weekend. Notre Dame comes in tied for fifth, averaging 240.6 pounds per player. The only teams heavier in the country are Wisconsin (242.2), Virginia Tech (242.1), and Texas (240.8), with South Carolina tying the Irish at 240.6 pounds per player.
Of the teams looking to compete for a College Football Playoff bid, Oklahoma is just behind Notre Dame at 240.5 average, Washington at 240.2, Illinois at 240.1, and Florida at 239.3 pounds per player. Mississippi State is the only team on this list that likely has no chance of bowling. There’s a joke in there about being an ag college and making the “beefiest” team list.
THE BIGGEST BEEFY BOYS - Heaviest FBS teams by average roster weight. 🥩 pic.twitter.com/2O9eWQG9GE
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) August 24, 2026
Notre Dame football roster averages 240.6 pounds and ranks tied for fifth nationally
When talking about how a team beat its opponent, “Notre Dame pushed ___ around” is often used. As it happens, the teams on this list can literally push most other programs around. It’s a strength that’s rarely talked about but absolutely comes into play during games.
Consider that Notre Dame has seven players who weigh 320 pounds or more, according to the program’s official roster. Two players (Tyler Merrill, Charles Jagusah) weigh 330 or more.
Most of the heaviest guys on the Irish are unsurprisingly offensive linemen, but defensive line coach Charlie Partridge has some earth movers on his side of the field as well. Tionne Gray at 320 and Davion Dixon at 316 have the weight to push back even players from other teams on the list.
Being the biggest and beefiest teams in the country doesn’t guarantee a national championship. But literally throwing a team’s weight around can be a big factor in winning one game after another, especially late in a close game when both teams are tired. Notre Dame hopes to demonstrate exactly that in a run through the College Football Playoff.
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