Notre Dame President Pete Bevacqua Says Fighting Irish Are ‘Knocking on the Door’ of National Title With 2025 Team
For generations, the pursuit of a national championship has been the gold standard for Notre Dame football — a holy grail that simultaneously defines the program’s legacy and fuels its future ambitions. That pursuit has seen glorious heights and agonizing near-misses, but if you ask Notre Dame president Pete Bevacqua, the Irish are closer now than they’ve been in decades. Following a closed-door donor event this past week and in interviews with university media, Bevacqua made it plain: Notre Dame is knocking on the door of a national championship, and they believe 2025 may be the year the program finally walks through it.
Bevacqua, the former NBC Sports chairman turned university president, has quickly become one of the most visible and vocal supporters of Notre Dame’s football program since taking office in 2024. A lifelong fan of the Fighting Irish and a Notre Dame alumnus himself, Bevacqua understands both the history and the hunger. His public endorsement of the football program’s current trajectory is more than simple cheerleading — it’s a reflection of what’s happening behind the scenes in South Bend: increased investment, upgraded infrastructure, strategic recruiting, and an all-in institutional commitment to reaching the pinnacle of college football.
“There’s no question we’re close,” Bevacqua said when asked about the program’s national title hopes. “We’re knocking on the door. And I believe this team, this staff, and this university are all aligned in a way that makes that goal more realistic than it’s been in years.”
To those within the program, Bevacqua’s comments didn’t come as a surprise — they came as validation. Head coach Marcus Freeman, entering his fourth season at the helm, has orchestrated a meticulous rebuild of the program’s competitive edge. Freeman’s vision blends the program’s storied tradition with a modern, relentless approach to player development, recruiting, and culture-building. He’s methodically addressed the gaps that kept Notre Dame on the outside looking in during the first decade of the College Football Playoff era. The Irish now have the depth, speed, and physicality that elite teams require — and in 2025, they have a schedule designed to prove it.
Under Bevacqua’s leadership, the university has intensified its investment in football. Facilities upgrades, nutrition enhancements, and staff expansions have all accelerated under his watch. While Notre Dame has always been committed to football, Bevacqua brings a level of strategic planning and vision that bridges the athletic and academic sides of the institution. “We’re not just trying to win games,” he explained. “We’re trying to be the standard — the best version of Notre Dame, on and off the field.”
That mission has quickly become a shared language within the program. The players talk about championships now not as dreams but as expectations. The staff works with a clear sense of purpose. And perhaps most critically, recruits are buying into the vision. Notre Dame’s 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes are among the best in the nation, with blue-chip prospects lining up to join a team that feels poised for something special.
Bevacqua’s belief in the team is more than optimism — it’s built on data and observation. He’s frequently seen at practices, in meetings, and around the program. He’s spoken with players, watched the leadership of quarterback Kenny Minchey develop, and seen the defensive unit transform into one of the fastest and most physical groups in the nation. He’s not removed from the process — he’s embedded in it. And what he sees, he says, is a team ready to take the next step.
Part of the confidence comes from how close Notre Dame has already come. The Irish made the College Football Playoff in 2018 and 2020 but failed to win a semifinal. In recent years, they’ve hovered just outside the top four, often let down by a lack of elite quarterback play, top-end speed on the perimeter, or consistent offensive line dominance. But in 2024, they took a major step forward — an 11-2 record that included wins over Clemson, Miami, and Penn State, and a narrow road loss to Georgia in a game that turned on a late turnover. Now, with a deeper, more experienced roster, the 2025 team appears poised to close the gap.
“There’s a swagger to this team,” Bevacqua noted. “It’s earned. These players believe they belong among the best because they’ve played with and beaten the best. And they know what it takes to finish the job.”
Freeman’s approach has been praised by players and alumni alike. He’s made Notre Dame a place where NFL development meets holistic growth. His staff is among the youngest and most innovative in the country, blending old-school toughness with new-school adaptability. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and defensive coordinator Al Golden have provided stability and identity on both sides of the ball, allowing players to grow within a system rather than chase short-term fixes.
Bevacqua’s comments also reflect a growing sentiment among national analysts. With the expansion of the College Football Playoff to twelve teams beginning in 2024, programs like Notre Dame — who often face a brutal independent schedule and can’t lean on a conference championship — have a clearer path to postseason glory. In fact, many believe that the Playoff’s new format is tailor-made for a school like Notre Dame, which often finishes with ten or eleven wins but is judged harshly for a single high-profile loss.
In 2025, Notre Dame’s schedule again offers opportunities for signature wins. The Irish will open with Texas A&M in a marquee kickoff game, host Miami and Stanford, and face road tests against Clemson, Purdue, and USC. The season finale at the Coliseum could determine not only Playoff positioning but also the potential for a top-four seed and a home Playoff game in South Bend. And with Bevacqua’s public declaration in mind, each of those games now carries the added weight of national title aspirations.
For Notre Dame fans, Bevacqua’s words echo a long-held belief: that the Irish are never far from greatness, that tradition and excellence can still coexist, and that national championships are not a thing of the past. While detractors have pointed to the program’s Playoff shortcomings and absence of a national title since 1988, those within the university — led by Bevacqua — see a future that looks far more like the dominant past than the recent frustrations.
More than just football, Bevacqua sees a national title as something symbolic — a reaffirmation of Notre Dame’s place in college athletics. “We’re proving that you can do things the right way — with academics, with integrity, with real values — and still be elite on the field,” he said. “We don’t cut corners. We don’t compromise. And still, we believe we’re about to be champions.”
There’s something distinctly Notre Dame about that message — unapologetically ambitious, but grounded in conviction. It’s the same spirit that carried the program through the Lou Holtz era and made it a national brand in the age of regional powers. And now, as college football undergoes rapid changes with NIL, the transfer portal, and conference realignment, Notre Dame’s model — independent, tradition-rich, and mission-driven — feels both timeless and increasingly relevant.
Bevacqua’s voice, while new in the presidential role, is already becoming one of the most influential in college athletics. His background in broadcasting and business gives him insight into the modern game’s ecosystem, but his passion for Notre Dame keeps him rooted in its unique ethos. He understands that in South Bend, football isn’t just a sport — it’s a cultural centerpiece, a unifier, and a source of pride.
As the 2025 season draws near, his message is clear: this isn’t a rebuilding project. This isn’t a hopeful reach. This is a team, a program, and an institution that fully expects to win. And now, with the infrastructure, leadership, and talent aligned, the only thing left is execution.
“Winning a national title won’t change who we are,” Bevacqua concluded. “But it will show the world what we’ve known all along — that Notre Dame can still be the best. And we’re right there. We’re knocking. It’s only a matter of time before the door opens.”
In South Bend, those words carry weight. They inspire belief. And if Pete Bevacqua is right, the echoes may not be quiet for much longer.
