Kirk Herbstreit Calls Out Notre Dame for 'Embarrassing' Schedule

Notre Dame Fighting Irish found themselves excluded from the College Football Playoff last season due to their challenging schedule. Analysts believe the Irish's upcoming campaign could be even more difficult, as many Power 4 CFP contenders have a more favorable slate of games. In an interview with Andy Staples of On3, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit labeled the Irish's schedule as "embarrassing" compared to those of teams in the Big Ten and SEC.

Herbstreit stated, "Look at their schedule, compared to what the Big Ten, the SEC go through, it's kind of embarrassing. They could walk to 11-1."

The Irish kicked off their 2025 season with a four-point loss against Miami and Texas A&M. They secured only two wins against ranked opponents, against USC and Pittsburgh. During his interview, Herbstreit suggested that Notre Dame could easily achieve an 11-1 record, given their schedule's relative ease. The team faces early games against struggling Big Ten programs like Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Purdue.

They'll also play Rice in Week 2 and North Carolina in Week 5, both of which are currently facing issues before the season begins.

Notre Dame encounters more competitive opponents later in their schedule, including a road trip to play BYU on October 17. They host Miami on November 7 and SMU on November 21. Two losses in this period could once again jeopardize Notre Dame's chances of making the CFP. Herbstreit believes the Irish will enter the regular season with motivation following last year's exclusion from the playoff and could potentially win the national championship.

"I think Notre Dame can win the national title," Herbstreit remarked. "Not only do they get in the playoff, I think they'll have a bit of a chip on their shoulder." The ACC, Big Ten, and SEC teams tend to avoid scheduling tough non-conference games due to the risk of a loss impacting their CFP aspirations. Scheduling remains a significant challenge for Notre Dame's independent status.