The Independent: A Notre Dame Football Podcast

Notre Dame is No. 10 in the first College Football Playoff selection committee rankings. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to react to those rankings and chart the Fighting Irish's path forward to a CFP spot. Plus, the guys break down Notre Dame's matchup against Navy on Saturday night. And they are joined by ESPN's and VSIN's Stormy Buonantony, who was the sideline reporter for Marcus Freeman and the Irish's win at Boston College.

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It wasn't pretty, but it counts all the same. Notre Dame won its sixth straight game, winning the Holy War against Boston College, 25-10. CJ Carr finished just shy of 300 yards passing, Jeremiyah Love clinched the game (and went over 100 yards) with a long TD run and Adon Shuler, Tae Johnson and the Fighting Irish defense made big plays when it mattered most. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to talk about what it all means for Marcus Freeman's program as it gets ready for a primetime home showdown against rival Navy.

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Notre Dame comes out of its open date and readies for a trip to Boston College for the Holy War, where the Catholic schools will play for the Frank Leahy Memorial Bowl. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to preview that game, plus to talk about the fallout of former Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly getting fired at LSU. And special guest David Teel of the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press joins the show to talk all things ACC as Marcus Freeman's squad gears up for four games against ACC opponents across these final five weeks of the regular...

Notre Dame has an open date, but that doesn't mean that the news slows down for Marcus Freeman's squad. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to catch you up on all things Fighting Irish. First, they welcome in VSIN's Tim Murray, who talks Jeremiyah Love's Heisman Trophy chances and much more. Then, former Irish DC Clark Lea, now the head coach at Vanderbilt, joins the show to talk about the Commodores' rise as they host "College GameDay" behind Heisman candidate QB Diego Pavia.

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Notre Dame won a memorable — and potentially final — contest against arch rival USC, 34-24. The Jeweled Shillelagh stays with Marcus Freeman and company in South Bend. The Fighting Irish head into the bye week with a ton of momentum, behind a monumental performance from star RB Jeremiyah Love and gutsy play from a secondary led by Christian Gray and Adon Shuler. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down live from Notre Dame Stadium!

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No. 13 Notre Dame readies for its annual rivalry game against No. 20 USC on Saturday night, perhaps for the final time. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break down the Marcus Freeman vs. Lincoln Riley matchup, and to discuss the future of the series. Plus, FOX Sports' and The Athletic's Bruce Feldman joins the show to talk more about the series, and what he sees out of Fighting Irish QB CJ Carr.

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Notre Dame improved to 4-2 with a 36-7 win over NC State. Marcus Freeman's squad continued its trend of dominating second halves, with Chris Ash's defense playing a leading role. CJ Carr eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark once again, this time with two 100-yard receivers in tight end Eli Raridon and captain Will Pauling. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break down the action and look ahead to next week's rivalry game against USC.

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Notre Dame reaches the halfway point of its regular season this week when it takes on NC State. Can Marcus Freeman's squad improve to 4-2? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down. Plus, former Fighting Irish captain Joe Schmidt joins the show to break down the Irish's defense so far this season. Bring your questions and let's talk some ball.

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Notre Dame improved to 3-2 this season with a workmanlike 28-7 victory over the visitors from Boise State. Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish have some momentum as they ready for next week's game against NC State, while Chris Ash's defense looks like it may have turned the corner. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down after another strong outing from CJ Carr, Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and Co.

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Brady Quinn joins The Independent to talk about Notre Dame's season and his appreciation of QB CJ Carr. Plus, Matt and Pete preview Notre Dame's matchup with Boise State on Saturday, a battle of two teams from last year's College Football Playoff. How can Marcus Freeman's team build off its 56-13 win at Arkansas? Can Chris Ash's defense continue to improve?

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Notre Dame notched a huge win in SEC country, dominating Arkansas from start to finish in a 56-13 triumph to get to 2-2. Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish appear to be headed in the right direction, and Chris Ash's defense took a big step forward. CJ Carr, Jeremiyah Love and the Irish offense, meanwhile, look unstoppable. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break down what it al means.

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Notre Dame looks to get back to .500 this week as it travels to SEC country to face Arkansas in a game with big-time stakes for both programs. How will Marcus Freeman's program handle the environment? How will Chris Ash's defense step up to the challenge? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to discuss that and more. Plus, NBC Sports' Joshua Perry joins the show to share his insights from playing for Chris Ash at Ohio State, and much more!

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Notre Dame got its first win of the season, beating Purdue, 56-30. What does this mean for Marcus Freeman's squad moving forward? How will Chris Ash's defense fare next week at Arkansas? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break down all of that and much more.

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Notre Dame goes for its first win of the season Saturday as it hosts in-state rival Purdue. Can Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish take out their frustrations against the Boilermakers again, like they did last season? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to preview that game and much more. Plus, special guest Ivan Maisel joins the show to talk about his new book: "American Coach: The Triumph and Tragedy of Notre Dame Legend Frank Leahy."

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Notre Dame is 0-2 after losing a heartbearker to Texas A&M, 41-40. How will Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish respond? What's up with Chris Ash's defense? Can CJ Carr dig the offense out of this hole? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down with a live episode.

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Notre Dame returns from its bye week with a showdown against Texas A&M. Can Marcus Freeman and Co. make it two in a row against Mike Elko and the Aggies? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down. Plus, team chaplain Father Nate Wills joins the show to talk about his new book, "Pray Like a Champion Today."

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As Notre Dame turns the page from its season-opening loss at Miami, Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson of The Independent take a look at what went right, what went wrong, and how that all will affect the Fighting Irish come next week against Texas A&M. Plus, former Irish offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. joins the show to share his insights into what really goes down in the trenches.

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Convicts 1, Catholics 0. That's the scoreboard after Notre Dame fell to Miami in a 27-24 contest at Hard Rock Stadium that came down to the final minute. How did CJ Carr perform in his debut? How did defensive coordinator Chris Ash look? And where do Marcus Freeman and his Fighting Irish program turn to now with a huge game against Texas A&M on-deck? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down and take your questions on the postgame live edition of The Independent.

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Football is back! And Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to preview Notre Dame's 2025 season and much more. Submit your questions for those two and special guest Tim Murray here as the trio previews Marcus Freeman's squad's game this weekend at Miami and much more!

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Marcus Freeman named CJ Carr Notre Dame's starting quarterback for the 2025 season, a surprise move given how well Kenny Minchey played in fall camp. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson react to the news plus share notes on the team captains and what this means for the season opener against Miami. 

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Matt & Pete breakdown the latest out of Fall camp for Marcus Freeman and the Irish as CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey battle for the Notre Dame starting quarterback spot. Mike Denbrock’s offense has had success with duel threat QBs and with CJ Carr struggling with three picks in practice, the competition has become more serious for the Notre Dame signal caller. Plus, thoughts on how the quarterbacks could be used in the opener against Miami and other news and notes out of Notre Dame camp.

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Matt & Pete are joined by Jack Kiser to look back on his career with the Irish, training camp in Jacksonville and thoughts on this year’s Notre Dame team. Plus, expectations of camp opening in South Bend and what Marcus Freeman’s team can do to repeat last year’s success. When will C.J. Carr be anointed and thoughts on the offensive line following the injury to Charles Jagusah.

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Matt & Pete are joined by former Major Leaguer and World Series Champion Trey Mancini to hear about his experience as a Notre Dame baseball player, an Irish football fan and an avid listener of the Independent. Plus, Matt & Pete discuss latest out of South Bend this summer, Marcus Freeman’s recruiting run as of late and what to expect as the season draws closer.

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Matt & Pete return for Pete’s annual Notre Dame Fan Survey. Tune in for thoughts from the fan base on the USC series potentially ending, where are Notre Dame’s strength, how they view Marcus Freeman three years in and who will be the breakout start for 2025? Plus, thoughts on the NBC broadcast crew and their ideal booth pairing.

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Matt & Pete are joined by ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy to get his perspective of the state of the Irish heading into the 2025 season. What are his impressions of Marcus Freeman after covering the team so closely during the playoff run last year, how does he feel like Notre Dame is setup in terms of depth for the season and does he expect another deep playoff run for 2025?

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It may be May, but there is no shortage of Notre Dame football news to cover. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson have you covered on the latest from Marcus Freeman, the USC rivalry, College Football Playoff talks and much, much more.

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Matt & Pete are back to talk about the latest news from the Fighting Irish and are joined by David Hale of ESPN to talk about the Clemson Series and the ACC. Never too early to look ahead at the Notre Dame season and with the news of the kick times for games on NBC, Matt & Pete share their thoughts on the lineup Marcus Freeman’s team will face once the Fall begins.

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Marcus Freeman officially put a bow on Notre Dame's spring campaign Wednesday, and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break down the Fighting Irish coach's press conference and deliver their big takeaways from the spring. What does the departure of Steve Angeli mean? Who has the edge in the QB battle between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey? How has Chris Ash put his fingerprints on the defense? The gang discusses all of that and more, and takes your questions as well.

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Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Spring game is just around the corner, and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to preview the weekend. What should folks watch for with QBs Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey? Plus, which team would you like to see the Fighting Irish face in a hypothetical scrimmage?

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Matt & Pete are joined by Tim Murray to discuss Notre Dame's Spring Football latest news including the quarterback competition and Steve Angeli's place in it. What does Tim think of the QB battle between Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey? Tune in for the latest on Marcus Freeman's squad as well as thoughts on the biggest impact player to expect coming out of the transfer portal. 

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Notre Dame kicked off spring football on Wednesday, and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break down Marcus Freeman’s fourth season in charge. How is the quarterback battle shaping up with Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey? How will players like Jeremiyah Love be used after a long season? How will Chris Ash and the rest of the new faces on staff fit in? One thing is for certain: It will be a spring like no other, after the longest Fighting Irish season ever.

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Spring ball is less than two weeks away at Notre Dame, and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to get you ready. The guys break down the hire of new GM Mike Martin, and they take a look at the upcoming quarterback battle of Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey. Plus, Matt and Pete go down memory lane of some of the best Fighting Irish offensive linemen they have covered, in honor of Zack Martin’s retirement from the Dallas Cowboys

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It's been a short but busy offseason for Notre Dame, with the Irish hiring running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider away from Penn State to replace Deland McCullough, and with the search for a new general manager still going, as James Blanchard elected to stay at Texas Tech. What's next for Marcus Freeman and his squad? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down, take your questions and much more, on the latest episode of The Independent.

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Matt & Pete return to discuss the news that Notre Dame is bringing in former Rutgers head coach and Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash to take on the open DC role for the Irish. Find out their thoughts on the hire and what it will mean for Marcus Freeman's team next season. Plus, thoughts on timing announcement for the schedule next fall.

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Notre Dame's season came to an end Monday night, with the Fighting Irish falling to Ohio State, 34-23. Marcus Freeman's squad fought back from a 24-point deficit to make it interesting in the fourth quarter, and Riley Leonard showed plenty of guts, but in the end it wasn't enough.

Notre Dame finishes the 2024-25 season at 14-2 after a remarkable College Football Playoff run. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break down what happened in Atlanta and to close the book on this season.

Co-hosts: Matt Fortuna, Pete Sampson

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Matt & Pete weigh in with their picks for the National Championship between Notre Dame and Ohio State with guest Tim Murray. Plus, they talk about the build up to this game and the cultural conversation around Notre Dame including Shane Gillis’ latest ad with Under Armour. 

How do the Fighting Irish matchup with Ohio State? What can Al Golden do to scheme against Jeremiah Smith and how can Notre Dame rattle Will Howard. Now that Jeremiyah Love is 100% how will that impact the game and do the Irish win the turnover battle against Ohio State? What would it...

Matt & Pete are back for another episode in the build up to the National Championship matchup with Ohio State on Monday night in Atlanta. They are joined by Tony Simeone, play-by-play voice of the Fighting Irish to talk about this season to date and what he expects from the matchup with the Buckeyes. How did Notre Dame turn things around after the loss to Northern Illinois and he assesses the coaching job of Marcus Freeman. Plus what will the legacy be for this Notre Dame team and Freeman if they are able to pull off the win and earn...

Matt & Pete are joined by Ari Wasserman of On3 for their first look at Notre Dame vs. Ohio State for the National Championship. Get early impressions of the matchup, what areas of the game Notre Dame will have the advantage against the Buckeyes and Ari's thoughts on if this is a team of destiny for the Irish? Plus, who wins the coaching matchup between Marcus Freeman and Ryan Day and which College Football coach would actually be good to hang out with at Chili's?

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Notre Dame came back from a 10-point deficit to upset Penn State, 27-24, and punch its ticket to Atlanta for the Jan. 20 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. There, the Fighting Irish will face Ohio State or Texas.

Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to break it all down. Orange Bowl Defensive MVP Christian Gray came up with the timely interception to set up Mitch Jeter's game-winning field goal. Riley Leonard won Offensive MVP honors, but not without some help from backup QB Steve Angeli and WR Jaden Greathouse.

Now, Marcus Freeman will looks...

Matt & Pete share the latest on the Fighting Irish heading into their semifinal matchup with Penn State on Thursday night. Tune in for injury updates on Jeremiyah Love and Abdul Carter, what Marcus Freeman shared with press this week as well as predictions for the matchup in South Florida. Can Riley Leonard take this game on his back like he did against Georgia? Will the defense get pressure on Drew Allar? Can Jadarian Price take over the workload if Love is not 100%.

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