Notre Dame football with Eric Hansen & Tyler James

Latest Episodes:

Football Never Sleeps: Bold predictions and Notre Dame's College Football Playoff outlook after the bye Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

Can No. 5 Notre Dame football reinvent itself after its stunning loss to BYU and make a run at the College Football Playoff?

With the bye week behind them, Marcus Freeman and the Irish enter a pivotal five-game stretch that will determine whether Notre Dame can turn a painful 28-24 loss into the launching point for a championship push.

On this episode of Football Never Sleeps, Blue & Gold's Eric Hansen and Tyler James break down what's next for Notre Dame football, offer bold predictions about how the Irish will evolve, analyze Marcus Freeman's latest press conference and examine Notre Dame's path to the 2026 College Football Playoff.

The road back begins Saturday against Navy in a neutral-site Halloween showdown. But the bigger question looms: Will Notre Dame be a different — and better — football team when November is over?

On this week's Football Never Sleeps:
• Five fearless predictions: How will Notre Dame's offense, defense and personnel evolve during the final five games of the regular season? Which players and coaches could make the biggest difference?
• Marcus Freeman's latest comments: Key takeaways from the Notre Dame head coach's first press conference since the Oct. 17 BYU loss. What did we learn about the Irish's response?
• Notre Dame injury and personnel updates: Who's available against Navy? Which players could see expanded or adjusted roles against the Midshipmen's unconventional offense?
• College Football Playoff outlook: Where does Notre Dame stand in the CFP race, and what must the Irish accomplish to strengthen their playoff résumé?

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code ON3 for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

Subscribe to BlueandGold.com: https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/join/?utm_source=publisher&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=subscriber_referral&ref=1041164

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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Third & Gold: Jack Soble on Notre Dame's BYU fallout and the issues that must be addressed Oct 23, 2026

Show notes

Blue & Gold beat writer Jack Soble discusses Notre Dame’s performance in the loss to BYU, the fan reaction to it, if he’s more concerned about the offense or defense moving forward, the play of ND’s secondary, the thin wide receiver rotation, quarterback CJ Carr’s outlook moving forward, the confidence level in the Irish correcting their issues, what he wants to ask head coach Marcus Freeman and more.

Then Eric Hansen and Tyler James answer questions from X/Twitter and The Lou Somogyi Board (33:16).

📌 Subscribe for weekly Notre Dame football analysis, interviews and updates — all year long.

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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

👀 Tune in Monday at 7 p.m. EDT for the next edition of Football Never Sleeps on the Blue & Gold YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NotreDameFightingIrish

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Football Never Sleeps: How Notre Dame recovers from disappointing loss at BYU Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

Notre Dame football stumbled on the big stage with a loss at BYU on Saturday night. Now both teams are in the AP’s top 5 — No. 2 BYU and No. 4 Notre Dame — but the pressure on the Irish will be greater with a smaller margin for error.

As ND begins its off week, Blue & Gold’s Eric Hansen and Tyler James dive into the issues BYU exposed and what the Irish can do to correct them to make a College Football Playoff run.

On this week's Football Never Sleeps:
• The most troubling parts of Notre Dame’s loss to BYU
• What the Irish must improve before meeting No. 1 Miami
• The difficulty of balancing Navy preparation while addressing season-long development
• Our confidence level in ND’s CFP outlook

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code ON3 for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

Subscribe to BlueandGold.com: https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/join/?utm_source=publisher&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=subscriber_referral&ref=1041164

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Third & Gold: Tom Lemming on Notre Dame quarterback recruiting and talent in Chicago Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Tom Lemming, legendary recruiting analyst for Prep Football Report, discusses Notre Dame's 2026 season, how BYU has built its program, if Notre Dame made a mistake in the 2025 quarterback recruiting cycle with Bear Bachmeier and Deuce Knight, concern of ND QB commit Champ Monds' lack of experience, who has the higher ceiling between freshman QBs Noah Grubbs and Teddy Jarrard, Notre Dame's recruiting targets in Chicago, Marcus Freeman's recruiting efforts and much more.

Then Eric Hansen and Tyler James answer questions from X/Twitter and The Lou Somogyi Board (28:22).

📌 Subscribe for weekly Notre Dame football analysis, interviews and updates — all year long.

👀 Tune in Monday at 7 p.m. EDT for the next edition of Football Never Sleeps on the Blue & Gold YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NotreDameFightingIrish

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Football Never Sleeps: The BYU showdown and a midseason report among Notre Dame's playoff push Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

No. 2 Notre Dame football enters the second half of the 2026 season unbeaten, but how close are the Irish to becoming a national championship-caliber team?

With a top-10 showdown against No. 8 BYU looming Saturday night in Provo, Utah, Blue & Gold's Eric Hansen and Tyler James take a deep dive into Notre Dame's College Football Playoff outlook, the team's biggest strengths and remaining concerns, and the players who could help elevate the Irish over their final six regular-season games.

Topics include:
• National championship measuring stick: How does Notre Dame stack up statistically against the nation's other top contenders?
• Midseason report card: Where have the Irish improved the most, and which areas still need attention?
• Notre Dame vs. BYU preview: Key storylines, matchup challenges and the latest from Marcus Freeman as the Irish prepare for a pivotal road test.

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code ON3 for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

Subscribe to BlueandGold.com: https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/join/?utm_source=publisher&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=subscriber_referral&ref=1041164

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Third & Gold: Dalton Wasserman on Notre Dame's NFL Draft prospects for 2027 and beyond Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Dalton Wasserman, a college football and NFL Draft analyst, discusses Notre Dame matching expectations so far this season, how CJ Carr stacks up against the top quarterback prospects for next year's NFL Draft, Leonard Moore's lock on CB1 status, who else is standing out in ND's secondary, how WR Jordan Faison is making an NFL case for himself, the talent on ND's offensive and defensive lines, if a lack of starts will hurt LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, how the Irish talent matches the elite across the sport and more.

Then Eric Hansen and Tyler James answer questions from X/Twitter and The Lou Somogyi Board (27:25).

Check out Wasserman on Preferred Walk-On: A College Football Show:
https://www.youtube.com/@Preferred-Walk-On

📌 Subscribe for weekly Notre Dame football analysis, interviews and updates — all year long.

👀 Tune in Monday at 7 p.m. EDT for the next edition of Football Never Sleeps on the Blue & Gold YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NotreDameFightingIrish

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Football Never Sleeps: How Notre Dame can avoid a letdown before big matchup at BYU Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

Blue & Gold’s Eric Hansen and Tyler James break down what Notre Dame accomplished at North Carolina, how it can avoid a letdown against Stanford and what the Irish need to establish before the big trip to BYU.

Topics include:
• Injury updates on multiple Notre Dame starters
• More takeaways from head coach Marcus Freeman’s press conference
• What the Irish running game should look like moving forward
• Why ND should handle Stanford with ease
• Necessary Irish improvements with BYU in mind
• A submission for Eric Hansen’s new favorite recruit

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code ON3 for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

Subscribe to BlueandGold.com: https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/join/?utm_source=publisher&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=subscriber_referral&ref=1041164

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Third & Gold: Troy Pride Jr. on Notre Dame's decade of defensive back success and his NFL journey Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

Former Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr. (2016-19) discusses returning to campus for the Michigan State game, his thoughts on ND's current defensive backs, the difficulty of playing nickelback, watching the rise of DB play at ND that started during his Irish career, his experience playing as a freshman in 2016, memorable moments in the 2017 season, watching Julian Love win a Super Bowl, his relationship with Brian Kelly, getting to know Marcus Freeman, his ongoing pursuit to return to the NFL, what he learned about himself through injuries and more.

Then Eric Hansen and Tyler James answer questions from X/Twitter and The Lou Somogyi Board (27:33).

📌 Subscribe for weekly Notre Dame football analysis, interviews and updates — all year long.

👀 Tune in Monday at 7 p.m. EDT for the next edition of Football Never Sleeps on the Blue & Gold YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NotreDameFightingIrish

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Football Never Sleeps: How Notre Dame can strengthen its College Football Playoff push in October Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

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

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code ON3 for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

Subscribe to BlueandGold.com: https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/join/?utm_source=publisher&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=subscriber_referral&ref=1041164

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Third & Gold: Mike Singer on Notre Dame's first three games, fan reactions and Champ Monds' injury Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Mike Singer, Notre Dame football recruiting insider for Blue & Gold, discusses how fans are reacting to ND's 3-0 start, how the "Leave No Doubt" mantra is being interpreted, the early season recruiting visitors for the Irish, how QB commit Champ Monds is dealing with a season-ending shoulder injury and more.

Then Eric Hansen and Tyler James answer questions from X/Twitter and The Lou Somogyi Board (23:05).

📌 Subscribe for weekly Notre Dame football analysis, interviews and updates — all year long.

👀 Tune in Monday at 7 p.m. EDT for the next edition of Football Never Sleeps on the Blue & Gold YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NotreDameFightingIrish

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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