"This is anything but a cake walk": CFB analyst predicts Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame's chances to make CFP in 2025 

Marcus Freeman led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to a surprisingly successful season in 2024. After their shocking defeat to the Northern Illinois Huskies in week two, the Fighting Irish did not lose a game until the national championship game, where they were defeated by Ohio State.

But, is this something that Freeman can replicate in 2025? On3 college football analyst J.D. Pickell analyzed the Notre Dame schedule for the 2025 season and gave the following verdict on their chances to make the College Football Playoff.

"This is anything but a cakewalk for Notre Dame." Pickell said(Timestamp: 7:30). This is a real deal tough schedule, tough opponents, and I cannot wait for the college football season to be here and to get a better assessment on what Marcus Freeman can do."

This season, Notre Dame has a schedule full of the usual ACC opponents (the school has a partnership with the conference, allowing them to play regular opponents but remain an independent school) and tough challenges to start the season.

Their opening two games could very much be the hardest test for Notre Dame this year. They open their season away from home against the Miami Hurricanes.

The Canes were the team to beat for most of the ACC season last year, before their late collapse took them out of contention for the conference championship game and the CFP. This year, Miami has enlisted the help of former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck.

While Beck has not been perfect, he has a lot of experience at the college level, something he will use to help Miami make the CFP in his final season.

The trip to Miami is then followed by a week off before Notre Dame faces Texas A&M. A&M is unlikely to challenge for the SEC championship this year, but they are a developing side that could deliver the upset to a Notre Dame team with an inexperienced quarterback this year.

Who else do Notre Dame play this season?

After Notre Dame's first two games, the schedule gets easier. The Purdue Boilermakers (one of the struggling Big Ten sides) and Arkansas Razorbacks follow, with the Fighting Irish then facing a Boise State Broncos side without Ashton Jeanty and then NC State.

The USC Trojans could provide a challenge for Marcus Freeman's side, but the following games against Navy and Pitt should not. The Fighting Irish end their season on the road in Stanford, a game that Pickell thinks could be tricky because of the traveling.

In all, this is a competitive schedule for Notre Dame, with no opponents from any FBS schools, and only Boise State not in a Power Five conference (but will be starting in 2026). If they perform well and win a majority of these games, potentially going 10-2 or even 11-1, a CFP spot should be guaranteed.

Edited by Gio Vergara