Greg McElroy has made no secret of his belief in the Notre Dame football program heading into the 2026 season. However, his latest comments are among the most effusive he's said this spring and summer. In a recent podcast episode, McElroy believes the Irish could very well win more games than any other power conference team in the country.
McElroy also went on to hit on a point he has before, but expanded on it. He believes a big reason why the Irish could be the best team in the country by a wide margin is that they're one of the only teams that haven't been hit by the Transfer Portal where it matters most. Having CJ Carr back for another season as a starter will go a long way towards helping Marcus Freeman and Co. march towards the national title.
"Notre Dame is going to win more games than Ohio State, Oregon, and Georgia this year," McElroy said. "Quarterback continuity is massive. It's a huge and underrated commodity in the sport. And the Irish, they have— both their quarterback back, the coordinator back, and a top five defense attached to it as well."
The analyst went on to say that the same thing that might have kept the Irish out of the playoffs last year will come to their aid in helping them win more than the Buckeys, Ducks or Bulldogs.
“Notre Dame is going to win more games than Ohio State, Oregon and Georgia this year…I think Notre Dame will have the most wins in the college football regular season this upcoming year.” — @GregMcElroy
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) July 1, 2026
The Fighting Irish might be destined to go 12-0. pic.twitter.com/O0z9p0x6Q9
Greg McElroy predicts Notre Dame football will win more than any power team
"You also look at the schedule independence. It kind of bit them last year. Well, it cuts the other way. conference title, being there to knock you down a peg, is also something that's challenging. And if you look at their schedule, they should be favored by just about everybody they play. So I think Notre Dame will have the most wins in college football regular season this upcoming year."
It is worth noting that winning the most games in the regular season is not the same thing as winning in the postseason. McElroy didn't go quite that far. However, it's a heck of a first step for the Irish. A team can't win the title unless they make it into the playoffs. It seems nigh impossible to win more games than every power team in the country and not make the College Football Playoff field.
The analyst is just the latest in a long line of experts who think 2026 could be the year for the Notre Dame football team. There have, in fact, been so many experts buying into the Fighting Irish this year that sitting around and waiting for the regular season has become even more difficult. September can't come soon enough.
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