JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Dec. 5, 2025

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Dec. 5, 2025

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Eric Hansen

2:19

Hi Tom. ND has its own analytics, and they might look at PFF. I am not sure, but they hired an analyst, Anthony Treash, straight out of Pro Football Focus, so I think they see them as having some value. I also sometimes can't match up the film grades with what I saw on the field, but I still think they're a useful tool, especially for nuanced parts of the game like offensive line play, where there aren't stats necessarily to help you qualify how an individual is playing. I do think other schools look at them too, not as the end-all, be-all, but as just one useful tool.

Jordan, from Seattle

2:19

Eric!!!!! I hope youre doing well and staying warm in the frigid midwest. GM Mike Martin commented that for NIL they will sometimes tier individual players within a position group. Now that we are several years along in the NIL world (but not the $21M payout world) it seems possible that a 5 ⭐️ recruit could underperform his “tier” and a 3 ⭐️ recruit could overperform his tier. Do you have any insight into (a) if ND or the players are able to renegotiate NIL contracts or (b) if ND allows for the annual NIL money (or budget) to be shifted based on player performance and not predictions? If ND misses the playoffs as a 11 or 12 ranked team - what is the bowl we most likely end up in? Thank you for your humorous delivery of excellent objective ND coverage.

Tom in Evanston

2:15

Hi Eric. I am interested in the PFF grades. I now look at them when you guys post them. I can't always reconcile what I see on the field with the grades. I certainly am not knowledgeable and tend to defer to others who have the expertise. I think you mentioned that ND does not use PFF. Do other schools use them? Do you find them useful or helpful?

Eric Hansen

2:15

Hi Rick. Our weather is just fine, thank you, If you're a penguin or a frozen entree. The ND-USC situation is close, I hear, for at least getting two more years tacked on, which would buy time for a longer extension. As far as what other people wear, that's WAY out of my purview in terms of commenting on it or mandating my standards. I just am happy on the days I dress myself and people don't point and laugh.

Rick from Sunny SoCal

2:12

Greetings from sunny Southern California. There's a LOT wrong about this state, but the weather is not one of them! Two questions, when do you think the ND vs USC issue will be resolved? Second, being the grumpy old man, WHY does ND let some of their players wear a white tee-shirt outside of their jersey? ND's uniforms are soooo classy, and that make them look like some puddle-dump school. Thanks Eric!

Eric Hansen

2:12

Hi Jonathan. I think with the right draw, the teams that don't hit those marks might be able to limp through. Oklahoma is the most flawed, so maybe I should have said most of the teams in the top 10 instead of all. I don't think Alabama can win it either. I actually think Miami would do better in the playoff than either of those two.

Jonathan in Addison, TX

2:10

Fascinated by your 1:05 pm answer opining that any of the top 10 in last Tuesday’s rankings would have a shot to win it. That doesn’t seem consistent with your years-old take on the 5 key statistics of championship teams. Do you have time yet to elaborate? At last count, I don’t recall anywhere close to 10 teams hitting the top 25 in 3 of your 5 stats. And maybe 4 teams (IU, Ore, TT, ND I think) were top 25 in all 5 of em, no?

Eric Hansen

2:10

Hi Tom, thanks for being here. I'm not sure if I can help or hurt the ledge situation, but here's what I think in answer to the questions you asked. No, I don't think the late TDs affected the committee in the games that you referenced, but I can understand why you'd have doubts given Tuesday's debacle of logic. As far as the hate and non-scheduling stuff, this is kind of the world we live in. But what you see on social media and on YouTube isn't always consistent with reality. I don't see a lot of what you're referencing, because I don't seek it. That doesn't mean I'm not open to people who vehemently disagree with ne, but I know who I respect already and if someone I don't know presents themselves in a mature, reasoned way, I give it a good listen. And if they act like a toddler who hasn't had their nap, they lose me. Unless it is an actual toddler and it's one of mine.

Tom F, Kennesaw, GA

2:02

Eric, to add to my previous question, it will be interesting to see the reaction of media if ND is left out and Duke is in as a 5-loss ACC Champ. Now most people feel the process needs to be changed so that if a Conf Champ or the Power 5 team is not in the Top 15 they should not be in the Playoffs. BUT if it is ND on the outside and the format is changed they will cry that the Committee is just trying to please ND. Also, why all the hate suggesting conf teams not schedule ND??? That makes NO sense. I need a lot of talking to get off this ledge.....

2:01

Hi Eric. Thanks for hosting a Chat on what is a very busy week. Congrats to the entire staff on the 2026 Recruiting class!! Job well done!! It appears the closer Miami gets to ND in PO poll the more the Miami loss comes into play. I see little hope for ND. If BYU wins, they jump ND. If BYU loses, they fall behind Miami and then we are out. My question is how much do you think the late TDs by Pitt and Stanford impacted the comparative scores data point for the Committee??!!This should make all those "Conference" people happy if ND is knocked out. We are still one of the Top 10 teams in the country. Good luck Irish!!!!

Eric Hansen

2:00

If ND gets left out and it's because BYU is in the field, they likely would end up at the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando vs. another Big 12 team, likely Utah. If BYU and ND both don't make the field for some reason, then ND likely would play BYU, ,,, And not I can't see the team skipping a bowl game, nor should they. ... Off the top of my head on the Jarrard thing, it solves the problem of having a fourth scholarship QB on the roster should Minchey transfer. It would also be great for him to be around CJ Carr in 2026, especially if 2026 if Carr's final college season.

1:53

Let me get back to Ron's question. I'm all over the place today. Sorry, I tone of interruptions. I swear I am not violating my own "No Drinking" rule. ...

1:52

Hi Len! Thanks for giving me multiple choice. This question is great. The functionality of being able to answer it in a chat setting is difficult. The list is pretty long, but so it the list about what's right with college football. Let me narrow this down. I think A BIG problem is the size of the conferences. Teams within their conferences have wildly different degrees of difficultly with their schedules and a lot of times very few common data points. A 16-team format would let more teams in, but you'd still have the same problem of differentiating the last few teams on the cut line. I think if the Georgia-Bama score was similar to the Georgia-Texas score (35-10), it would be hard for the committee to justify Bama staying at 9.

Len from the Jersey Shore

1:41

Second question, how many points does Georgia need to beat Bama by for Bama to drop below ND?

1:40

Hello Eric! The state of the CFP and the reasons given for ND's drop only deserve one !, if that. I saw Vandy drop a spot in the eyes of the committee with a close win on the road to the same Auburn team that Bama got a bump from in the eyes of the committee. Senseless. Vandy staying between Miami and ND was important. That one Auburn SEC win all year must carry some weight. Two questions. What is the biggest issue with the CFP and college football? Conferences too big? No divisions? Reducing the number of common opponents? Too much power in the hands of big two, SEC and BIG10, in CFP decisions. Unspoken and maybe even subconscious bias by CFP members that predominantly are affiliated with conferences before, or now, that conferences matter more than they maybe they should. Hell, conferences are more TV conglomerates than conferences now. Question-What does Eric Hansen say is the biggest issue facing the CFP's future? more

Ron Dover

Sorry Eric hit the wrong key. Let’s hope the selection committee does a careful evaluation of the team’s ranking for the CFP. Question if ND loses out what bowl is most likely be where they might play? Would the team decide not to go to a bowl. Lastly, what is your thoughts about Teddy Jarrad reclassify. Do you think it is good for ND football!!!! Thank you

1:38

Happy Friday Eric,

Eric Hansen

1:37

Hi Pete!! Happy Holidays to you and yours. If ND gets left out of the playoff, I DO NOT think they would skip a traditional bowl game. There is value in that from a program standpoint, though not likely much interest from fans. What might happen is NFL Draft hopefuls opt out. ... I do not think Jordan Faison leaves early for the draft. But he does have a decision to make as to whether he wants to continue to play lacrosse. ... As far as intentionality, I have no idea. I didn't think it was, but I don't know what was in that young man's mind.

Pete from Erie, PA

1:31

Hellooo Eric! Happy Holidays to you & yours! It's going to be unhappy holidays in ND-land if they get screwed out of the playoff when they're clearly amongst the best teams in the country. Few can say they steamrolled 10 in-a-row without a doubt. Relying on Texas Tech & Georgia to get in is risky, they have little to play for. Seeding isn't the best motivator. My $$ on desperate BYU & Alabama. If it comes to that, do you think the Irish choose to skip a traditional bowl? I mean, they're meaningless and it would be kind of insulting. Are a few extra practices better than relief from the grind to refresh and focus on health, recruiting, the portal and next year? Will Jordan Faison leave early for the NFL?
Thoughts of Wilfredo Aybar's knee to the ribs ending Jeremiyah Love's Heisman hopes and possibly his ND career? Intentional? The way he genuflected looks bad but I can't tell for sure. Either way, it's a shame he gets away with it. This should be treated like targeting. Thanks Eric! Cheers and Go Irish!

Eric Hansen

1:31

I vote how I feel, not what will make anybody happy. I have Notre Dame higher than the CFP committee does, because that's genuinely how I feel. I've had them lower than their actual spot in the polls. And I am OK with having to defend my position, especially this late in the season. Now people whining about preseason poll position is just silly, because there are no data points. .. I do not think Virginia winning is important. ... I haven't had a chance to watch film of all the recruits yet, but based on what I do know, defensive crush is tie between S Joey O'Brien and CB Khary Adams, and offense, I'll go with TE Ian Premer and WR Kaydon Finley.

1:26

Great stuff Marie, and thanks. I think with regard to transparency, what would that look like. If we knew how each committee member voted for let's say last team in and first team out, how would that improve the process? I think what the transparency of the AP poll does is show that of the 66 people who vote, none of them have identical ballots. Very seldom does everyone agree on a singular team. And would transparency put more pressure on say an SEC guy to vote for an SEC team on a splitting-hairs situation? Or does anonymity him to speak is mind? (more)

Marie from atlanta

1:21

Hi Eric, thanks so much for hosting the chat during such a busy week. With a lot of what the CFP committee did this week not making sense, and considering some of the ridiculous answers the chair gave, do you think we will see changes in the process, particularly with regards to transparency? I have really enjoyed behind the ballot this year, should each committee member have to make something similar public each week? Do you think Virginia winning is important for ND’s chances to get in? If Duke wins then there would be no ACC team in, do you think the committee would then cave to pressure from the ACC and let Miami in over ND? Unbelievable job recruiting this year by the staff, who are your offensive and defensive crushes in the 2026 class? Fingers crossed we will be discussing ND’s playoff opponent and not the flavor of the edible mascot of the Pop tarts bowl next week. Thanks for all the great insights.

Eric Hansen

I know they don't want to box themselves in, but if they're going to throw a word salad at us, at least make it sound like you haven't been hitting the bourbon hard instead of looking at metrics.

1:20

Hi Matt. Other than my body still digesting the giant turkey leg I devoured on our Staff Roundtable show on YouTube Sunday, I am loving life this week. Here's what I'll say about head-to-heads. It IS important absolutely should be. But they're not all created equal. It's not the end-all, be-all. It's part of the resume. So what does the rest of the resume look like. Miami would be the first team to make the field as an at-large with losses to TWO unranked teams. When the head to head occurs matter, the site matters, the score matters, how the teams evolved afterwards matters, total records matter. 2. I'm not sure they are guaranteeing a spot. It would be interesting to see what they so if Georgia wins and it's not competitive. I don't expect a blowout, but that would put the committee in a difficult place. 3. I didn't think that Miami would overtake ND with neither of them playing but the explanation of that scenario was so weird, I am not confident of anything where this committee is concerned. (more)

Matt from Austin

1:11

Hello Eric. I hope your post Thanksgiving week is going well. A couple of quick ones. 1. Where was all this fervor and angst over the head to head match ups in 1993????? Feels like anti ND bias. 2. Do you have an opinion on the CFP committee and their seeming desire to guarantee Alabama a spot in the playoffs? 3. If BYU loses, and Miami is next to ND, is it your sense that the committee chair's intimation that such a scenario would allow the committee to have head to head become a factor and have Miami jump ND? As Tom Petty said, " the waiting is the hardest part." As always Eric, thank you for your time and thoughts. Matt

Eric Hansen

1:10

Hey Chuck. I don't buy that ND's drop was a conspiracy to get them to join a conference. But after hearing CFP commish Hunter Yurachek's explanation, I can understand why you jumped to that assumption. It almost makes more sense that what was offered. I do think Miami is a really good team. But I think ND has the better resume if only one gets in, and I've stated my reasoning in my Behind The Ballot column.

Chuck from THE LAND

1:06

Hi " Great One". Been a roller coaster year for you and we fans. My sense is that partisan politics have overtaken the Committee and the ND haters are now pushing the agenda to punish the Irish for not being in a Conference. IF BYU loses, IRISH have to be in. IF Bama loses, IRISH go to #9 and are in. What could possibly go wrong here other than the acquiescing to the Miami propaganda? Last thing, over 800 decommitments this year and IRISH had NONE - BRAVO! Here's hoping that we can benefit from your insight as ND marches to a NATTY!

Eric Hansen

1:05

Bevacqua is advocating for a 16-team playoff moving forward. Herbstreit advocated for five conference champs and 11 at-large bids regardless of conference (or independent). So, if a Group of 6 team is on the top 16, they can earn their way in. Last thought, I think any team in the top 10 of Tuesday's rankings would have a shot to win it, some more than others, but I think that's realistic.

1:03

I think there are a couple of reasons: Avoiding potential lawsuits is 1. No. 2, if you think about the four-team playoff, the thought that teams beyond the top six would even be competitive seemed like a reach, so why not invite the Group of 6 (then the Group of 5) to the party. Think about it, from 2014 to 2021, the AVERAGE margin of victory in the semis was 27 points. In the last three years, including the 12-team version in 2024, the average margin of victory in the semis was 5.5 points. And the two teams that played for the title last year would not have made the four-team playoff. They were ranked 5 and 6 and seeded 7 and 8. (more)

12:57

Jack, are you sure we're not related? I was born in Cleveland after all and don't look like any of my relatives. ... Thank you. The Mike Martin piece was fun to write. Super interesting guy and lots of good info, especially on the NIL/rev share stuff. To your question about the Group of 6 team. Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua was just on live on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, and Kirk Herbstreit advocated for exactly what you are in the next iteration of the playoff. Now why were they included originally? (more)

Jack, Strongsville, Oh

12:50

Hi Eric. Your piece on Mike Martin yesterday was most informative and interesting. One of the best of the season. My question today is how did the group of five come to get a seat at the CFP? It seems to me that ND, Miami, Texas, Vanderbilt have more of an issue with Tulane, North Texas, or JMU getting a spot in the playoffs than each other. Thanks for continual great work.

Eric Hansen

12:50

Hey Ced. Great question. Let's break this down. Notre Dame has 13 players with expiring eligibility who can't come back, but one of them — DT Jason Onye — is pondering petitioning for a sixth year. By my count there are 10 redshirt juniors, and one of them — P James Rendell — is in his own category and has petitioned for an extra year, and I am not optimistic that one will be successful. More optimistic about Onye. So of the nine others, I think that could range anywhere from 3 to 9. My guess would be 7. Jadarian Price is the most intributing, because his draft stock is soaring.

ced

12:44

ced walker Saginaw Michigan aka sagnasty Saginaw pride how many players will be back for 5th year at Notre Dame God Bless This Football Team here come the irish trust the process the golden standard rally we are nd god country go irish love thee notre dame our mother pray for us

Eric Hansen

12:44

John, thanks I did have a great one. Now that drive home is another story LOL, but made it in one piece. John, that kind of commentary has been going on since well before you and I were born. It's kind of baked into what Notre Dame stands for -- overcoming the odds. And you've got a head coach who says things like: Everything worth having in life is on the other side of hard AND the struggle is necessary. So, he and the program embrace it. Now you may notice it more now because of social media is so in your face these days. And the people saying "don't schedule Notre Dame" are not in charge of scheduling.

John: Chagrin Falls, ohio

12:35

Hope you had a nice thanksgiving! Wonderful season for the Irish finishing strong, though playoffs still in doubt. My question is how do you see the seemingly intensified negative commentary on the program impacting ND’s ability to retain the HC, staff, players and recruiting going forward. MF does a great job of blocking out the noise, but it is intense, even to the point of “don’t schedule ND!”

Eric Hansen

12:35

Manny!!!!!!! That's the fewest exclamation points I've ever gotten from you, and you are the exclamation point OG!! Irrespective of how it unfolds for Notre Dame, there is some sentiment for just having one selection show and not doing the weekly updates. I'm Ok with keeping them. What was alarming to me was the explanations this week. No matter who you're rooting for the inconsistencies and the logic was troubling.

12:31

I missed Manny's question ... here it is again ...
hi Eric! Somber mood with the feeling that Miami will help us if BYU doesn’t. This wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for the weekly TV show telling us that we’re gonna be in. Any chance ESPN eliminates this since they don’t do it for college basketball?

12:30

Hi Mike. I think it makes zero sense to do that in any way shape or form. There is a misconception that teams that lose in the national championship won't drop in the rankings. The Athletic did a really good piece this year about last year's decision. And when SMU was getting blown out in the ACC title game, they were out of the field. Only their second-half rally saved them. Think about what's at stake for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are sitting at No. 4 with a bye. There may be a very thin margin between them and the teams just behind them. If they drop to 5, they have to play an extra game. If they droop to 7, instead of playing a Group of 6 champ or a weak ACC champ, they'd get someone like Alabama or Notre Dame. So tank at your own peril.

MikeMcFadden,Williamsport,PA

12:26

Please consider this Eric, Wouldn’t it make sense for Texas Tech to throw their game vs BYU? I mean legally. They could bench all their skill layers for this game, QB,RB

Eric Hansen

12:25

Hi Mike. We likely will get something official on the Sunday or next week. Here's how I see it. These are the players in play to come back: For sure, WR Jaden Greathouse, K Noah Burnette, S Tae Johnson. I feel very good about OG Billy Schrauth, TE Cooper Flanagan and DT Gabe Rubio. Coin flip on OG Charles Jagusah. But those are some powerful reinforcements.

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