This 2026 Notre Dame Football team is loaded with talent, and is among one of the favorites to win the national championship. Because of their incredible roster, and the nature of preseason watch lists, the Irish are very well represented.
Let’s catch up to where they are now…
Craig Lands on Rimington Trophy Watch List for Second Straight Year
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Irish offensive lineman Ashton Craig was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, which honors the most outstanding center in Division I college
football. The honor marks back-to-back years Craig has been selected to the preseason list.
This year, the Rimington Trophy committee worked with Pro Football Focus (PFF) to narrow down its list to the top 40 centers. PFF grades every player on every play of every game on how well they execute their given assignment.
Craig started the first six games of the year in 2025 before missing the rest of the season due to injury. He’s appeared in 17 games with 12 starts on the offensive line during his Irish career.
In 2025, the Notre Dame offense averaged 5.69 yards per carry, which was tied for the third-best clip in the FBS and the second-highest yards per carry in a season in program history. The Irish offense ranked sixth among Power 4 programs with 203.4 rushing yards per game while allowing just 1.00 sack per game, the eighth-lowest total in the country.
Porath Named to Lou Groza Award Watch List
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior kicker Spencer Porath was named to the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Porath is one of 35 players chosen to this year’s watch list in honor of the 35th anniversary of the award.
A Brownsburg, Indiana native, Porath competed the past two seasons for Purdue and converted 15-of-17 field goal attempts last year, good for 88.2%. He was also a perfect 24-of-24 on PAT attempts, including hitting four against Ball State and Southern Illinois. He hit a career-long 53 yard field goal last year at Washington, one of two kicks he made from 50 or more yards in 2025.
Against the Irish last September, Porath connected on all three of his field goal attempts, converting from 48, 35 and 26 yards. He also drilled all three PATs at Notre Dame Stadium in 2025.
