Notre Dame is coming into the 2025 season with a huge chip on their shoulder. Not only do people believe they don't play a tough enough schedule, but they also proved everyone wrong and made it to the National Championship game, just to lose to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Notre Dame is now ready to take on the 2025 season and do all that they did last season, but end it all in a different way. They are ready to finish the job and be the team celebrating in the confetti and hoisting the trophy in the end, instead of walking off wondering what they could have done differently.
This next season will not be easy for the Fighting Irish as they have a tough schedule loaded with great teams. It all starts in Week 1 when Notre Dame takes on the Miami Hurricanes, who were almost a College Football Playoff team last season. Even though Miami lost its star quarterback Cam Ward, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, this team still has something great brewing down in South Florida.
So, looking ahead to the 2025 season, he is the biggest problem that Miami will give Notre Dame in their season opener.
Miami's rushing game is looking to be elite again this season
Miami lost its starting running back, Damien Martinez, to the NFL this past offseason, but the running backs stepping into the role are no slouches. Last season, Mark Fletcher Jr. was the backup for Martinez, and even as a backup, Fletcher Jr. still had 607 rushing yards on 112 carries and nine touchdowns.
Jordan Lyle was another running back in their three-headed monster, who had 400 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 54 carries. Now with Martinez gone, Lyle and Fletcher Jr. are set to take over the backfield. They are also set to be behind a very good offensive line that Miami has.
Notre Dame is very secondary heavy on its defense, and while they can definitely defend the pass and the long ball, a steady run game will be difficult to sustain against. This will be the biggest problem for Notre Dame in their season opener, especially when they will still be getting their ducks in a row.