Episode Details

No. 3 Notre Dame football completed its first unbeaten September of the Marcus Freeman era. Now the Fighting Irish roll into October looking to raise their ceiling for bigger tests ahead — and ultimately a College Football Playoff and national championship chase in the postseason.

Blue & Gold’s Eric Hansen and Tyler James break down what Notre Dame still needs to tweak, where the Irish are continuing to build and improve, and which new faces could emerge during a road-heavy October and beyond.

Topics include:
• Who are some potential “Mr. Octobers” who could emerge from Notre Dame’s reserve ranks and injured list?
• What statistical trends still need to be addressed as the Irish move deeper into the 2026 season?
• The latest from Marcus Freeman’s press conference as Notre Dame prepares for its road matchup with North Carolina
• What Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff path would look like if the regular season ended today
• The latest Notre Dame football recruiting buzz and what’s next for the Irish

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Order BGI's new book — The Gold Standard: The Best of Notre Dame Football, 1976–2025 — here: https://bluegoldonline.com/store/The-Gold-Standard-The-Best-of-Notre-Dame-Football-1976-2025-p838457929

Next week's "Football Never Sleeps" will air Monday at 7 p.m. EDT.

Want to watch "Football Never Sleeps" on YouTube? Catch it on Blue & Gold's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@notredamefightingirish

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