Notre Dame: 2026 Week 3 recap

Notre Dame sits at No. 3 nationally with a 26.5 rating after dispatching Wisconsin 41–13 in Week 1. The Irish haven't budged in GIE's view—the rating held steady—but the dominance of that opener speaks for itself. Third-down conversion sits at 45%, a respectable floor, though the red-zone efficiency at 17% suggests room to tighten up scoring opportunities when they matter most. With a 92.5% playoff probability and 10.1 expected wins, Notre Dame controls its own narrative as an independent. Rice comes to South Bend this week; the matchup poses little resistance, but consistency in execution—especially in the red zone—will be the real test.