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Notre Dame Tops 2026 Returning Production Rankings, Eyes Title

3/24/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Notre Dame ranks No. 1 in returning production for the 2026 season, per ESPN's Bill Connelly.
They lose NFL-bound players but retain 67% of offensive and 77% of defensive production.
The ranking signals a potential improvement, alongside BYU and Texas.
Notre Dame's schedule includes only two top-25 returning teams, while four sit 90th or worse.
Historically, No. 1 returning-production teams have struggled, yet odds favor Notre Dame for a title.

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Story summary

Notre Dame ranks No. 1 in returning production for the 2026 season, per ESPN's Bill Connelly.
They lose NFL-bound players but retain 67% of offensive and 77% of defensive production.
The ranking signals a potential improvement, alongside BYU and Texas.
Notre Dame's schedule includes only two top-25 returning teams, while four sit 90th or worse.
Historically, No. 1 returning-production teams have struggled, yet odds favor Notre Dame for a title.