Notre Dame football supporters are entering the 2026 season with massive expectations, but bettors in Las Vegas are split on whether the Fighting Irish can truly deliver a championship campaign.
For longtime fan Tim Murray, Notre Dame football means more than any other sport. Raised in a deeply Irish-rooted family, Murray says the program inspired his love for sports and even influenced his career in sports media. Despite seeing his favorite MLB team win a World Series in 2019, he still considers a Notre Dame national championship the ultimate dream.
Now 38, Murray co-hosts VSIN’s “PrimeTime” sports betting show in Las Vegas. Since Marcus Freeman became head coach in 2022, Notre Dame has become one of the nation’s best teams against the spread, posting an impressive 34-18-2 record. Bettors who trusted the Irish over the past few seasons have consistently profited.
Still, the one thing missing is a national title.
Notre Dame has not captured a football championship since Lou Holtz led the team to victory over West Virginia in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl.
High Expectations, Risky Odds
Sportsbooks opened Notre Dame’s season win total at 11½ victories, one of the highest marks in college football. Bettors can either wager on the team finishing undefeated or taking at least one loss during the regular season.
Murray believes this could be Notre Dame’s strongest title contender in decades. He is especially confident in sophomore quarterback CJ Carr, whom he considers the program’s most talented passer since Brady Quinn.
According to Murray, Notre Dame will likely be favored in every regular-season matchup and could field one of the best defenses in the country. He also believes no opponent would be more than a slight favorite against the Irish on a neutral field.
Even with all that optimism, Murray admits betting on an undefeated season is risky because the payout does not provide enough value considering how difficult perfection is in college football.
Most sportsbooks heavily favor Notre Dame to reach the College Football Playoff, reflecting how much confidence oddsmakers have in the roster.
National Championship Odds
Several Las Vegas sportsbooks currently list Notre Dame among the top national-title contenders. Some books offer odds around +750, meaning a $100 bet would return $750 if the Irish win the championship.
However, many betting experts remain cautious.
Matt Youmans believes Notre Dame will dominate most of its schedule and could easily be double-digit favorites in 10 games. Still, he refuses to bet on the over for 11½ wins because one injury—especially to quarterback CJ Carr—could derail the season.
He pointed out that football seasons rarely go perfectly, and injuries or unexpected losses often ruin championship hopes.
Dangerous Matchups Ahead
Handicapper Tom Barton sees several potential traps on Notre Dame’s schedule. He believes the season opener against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field could be dangerous, while games against Miami, SMU, and BYU also present serious challenges.
Barton says Notre Dame has the talent and coaching advantage in most matchups, but one mistake could ruin an undefeated season. Although he finds the championship odds tempting, he prefers betting on teams with longer odds and higher payouts.
Texas-based analyst Sean Higgs also highlighted Miami and BYU as difficult opponents. He warned that if Notre Dame enters the SMU matchup undefeated, the team could become overconfident.
Instead of backing the Irish, Higgs says he prefers Texas and quarterback Arch Manning to finally meet the enormous expectations surrounding the program.
Analysts Still See Championship Potential
Another respected handicapper, Paul Stone, believes Notre Dame’s schedule is favorable overall. His ratings project the Irish as double-digit favorites in 10 games, while Miami and BYU are expected to be closer contests.
Stone also praised CJ Carr’s potential and noted that nine of Notre Dame’s top 10 tacklers return on defense, giving the team one of the most experienced units in the nation.
Even so, he avoids betting either side of the 11½-win total because college football seasons almost always include an unexpected stumble.
While Stone views Notre Dame as a legitimate contender, he personally prefers LSU as a high-value championship bet. He credited coach Lane Kiffin’s aggressive transfer portal strategy and praised former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt as a possible difference-maker.
The Emotional Side of the Drought
For Tim Murray, Notre Dame football is more than statistics and betting lines.
He has attended nearly three dozen Irish games over the years and now shares that passion with his young son, Sawyer, who proudly wears his Jeremiyah Love jersey and dreams about Notre Dame football.
After decades without a championship, Murray remains hopeful the drought will finally end soon.
When asked whether his son would see Notre Dame win a national title before turning 38 years old himself, Murray laughed before confidently answering:
“Yes.”