Without a tie to a conference, Notre Dame has flexible scheduling. Under its current agreement with the ACC, the Irish must play five games per year against league opponents. Furthermore, the school can schedule as many elite-level opponents -- or few -- as it wants relative to staying in contention.

Notre Dame remains college football's most prestigious independent football program, but a new landscape raises questions about preserving that status. The Fighting Irish have fended off interest from power conferences to maintain their own path.

Lawrence North five-star wide receiver Monshun Sales hit the road to South Bend last weekend to check-in with Marcus Freeman and the Notre D

SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football, fresh off a convincing home win over USC, moved up two spots in the US LBM Coaches poll when it was released Sunday afternoon. The Irish, now ranked 13 th by the coaches, are 5-2 heading into their final off week of the regular season. A trip to Boston College is up next on Nov. 1.

However, Freeman currently has the Notre Dame Fighting Irish playing very well, and they look like a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. This past weekend, they defeate

Notre Dame will have to shuffle its line around to make up for the loss of its left guard, who went down in Saturday's game against USC.

There is no telling which players will choose that route, but if certain players do, head coach Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame program should have real interest. Here are some players that Fighting Irish fans should keep a close eye on if they do choose to enter. Those potential fits come at a couple of high positions of need.

Jacobs and his family have a natural attraction to the Notre Dame program, and it doesn’t hurt that he also has a personal relationship with 2027 Fighting Irish quarterback commit Teddy Jarrard. Georgia has been viewed as the front runner for the 6-5, 225-pound pass rusher, but Notre Dame is making a strong charge.