It’s Award Watch List SZN and Notre Dame is going to be well represented

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SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 20: Drayk Bowen #34 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in action during the first half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium on September 20, 2025 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Harry Figiel/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images

The only thing better in life than two options to choose from is a third. Let’s get at it…

NOTRE DAME IS COMING FOR HARDWARE​

It’s that time of year when all of the college football awards start dropping their watch lists for the season, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish should be well represented. I’m using this space to play a little “catch up”

Three of the biggest awards are the Maxwell, Nagurski, and Outland — and the Irish have some numbers here.

Elevating Notre Dame and the game of college football

CJ Carr has been named to the Maxwell Award Watch List.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/OOAOP3MxEY

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 3, 2026

The best defensive players in the game

Drayk Bowen, Leonard Moore and Boubacar Traore have been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/gsnVHKceyI

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 4, 2026

The best interior linemen in college football

Anthonie Knapp and Guerby Lambert have been named to the Outland Trophy Watch List.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/WvPVQN5GUz

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 4, 2026

DEFENDING NOTRE DAME AGAINST LUNACY​

Bud Elliott has never been a Notre Dame defender, but he at least has critical thinking skills which allows his opinions to be based. He’s most fun when defending a good opinion of ND though because he’s still a scrappy blogger at heart.

See in my methodology I tend to like extremely good football teams that could win the national title and have awesome QBs and coaching staffs.

But everyone values different things. https://t.co/s4rpEASX0F

— Bud Elliott (@BudElliott3) August 5, 2026

COACHES BAR​

Without question, it’s a smart idea to make sure there is a clear plan by fall camp. Which bars are a coaches bar and which bars are a players bar. Can’t have those two worlds colliding at the jukebox. Say what you will about Charlie Weis, but this was a smart idea as expressed by Brady Quinn.

Linebacker lounge = Charlie Weis & staff sanctuary

TG: https://t.co/FKlYsP9cWTpic.twitter.com/ksaoeXUzke

— Joey (@JoeyMulinaro) August 3, 2026

FAST START​

While Forde’s column wasn’t entirely about the headscratching way Notre Dame starts a college football season under Marcus Freeman, it ended it that way with a cherry on top.

Column: Notre Dame followed its shortest offseason with a long, bitter one. The Irish are freshly motivated to leave no doubt this year, and they might have the nation’s best team. https://t.co/MjlQEslvd5

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) August 4, 2026

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