Instant Reaction: Notre Dame 70 Syracuse 7
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Release Date: 11/23/2025
What's In and What's Out in 2026 for Notre Dame, College Football and Beyond
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Jessica Smetana joins to lay out our list analyzing, projecting and recommending the trends for the new year now that the national championship game is officially behind us. Topics include: What to make of Indiana winning the title, Notre Dame's different approach the portal, the playoff snub, being a hater, Don Draper Days, algorithms, beans and much more. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here:
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Marcus Freeman's Press Conference: The NFL's Interest, Transfer Portal Strategy and More
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Jessica Smetana joins to break down all the topics Marcus Freeman hit at his Jan. 14 press conference, including the fradulent accusations against him, the NFL's interest in him, transfer portal additions, the USC rivalry and much more. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here:
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2026 Notre Dame Transfer Portal Update: January 14
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Marcus Freeman and company hit a home run at defensive tackle, add another Ohio State wide receiver and pick their kicker. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here:
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2026 Notre Dame Transfer Portal Update: January 13
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
The Fighting Irish finally got some commits on Monday. A quick run through how those players fit into the 2026 roster, some departures and lingering issues that still need resolved. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here:
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Playoff and Bowl Take-Pocalypse + Movie Club: Wake Up Dead Man
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Jessica Smetana joins to kick off 2026 by looking at some of the best, worst and most confusing takes regarding the playoff and bowls from the past month-plus, including Notre Dame's conference affiliation, the G5 autobid, bye week curses, reorganizing the playoff calendar, whether the non-playoff bowls should exist and much more. Then (1:15:00) we are contractually obligated to talk about a Catholic whodunnit, so it's a deep dive on Wake Up Dead Man and a draft of our favorite characters from the Benoit Blanc trilogy. (We shout out when spoilers start if you haven't watched yet but you should...
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Marcus Freeman Stays, Southern Cal Goes + Notre Dame Football Roster Reset
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
The Michael Bryan joins to run through some news: Marcus Freeman is officially staying at Notre Dame despite NFL interest, Southern Cal is officially taking the coward's path, updates on the roster and transfer portal guesswork. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: Donate here to the Center for the Homeless:
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Christmas Giving 2025 Extended: The Notre Dame Football Week That Was
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
We were going to do this Friday afternoon as a recap of Everything but decided to let things settle a bit first, so: Jessica Smetana joins to talk Jeremiyah Love awards circuit, All-American tracking, Remembering Some Guys via trivia, the USC series, strength of schedule debates, which reports from last week matter and which don't, basketball injury updates and much more. Donate here to the Center for the Homeless:
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Christmas Giving 2025: The Airing of Grievances
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Closing the week with a few complaints to cleanse the soul, starting with an SEC TikToker’s foray into Notre Dame country. Also: Merch availability, bowl discourse and much, much more. Donate here to the Center for the Homeless: Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here: Grievance airers: Paul Coletti Jesse Dang Alex Herrmann Bridget Reynolds Jessica Smetana Andrew Smith Nina Steigerwald Sam Werner
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Christmas Giving 2025: What's Next for Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Blue and Gold's Eric Hansen joins to talk about what steps Pete Bevacqua and Marcus Freeman should take next, the ACC and SEC relationships, how the decision to skip a bowl came about, key players the Irish will try to sway to return and much more. Donate here to the Center for the Homeless: Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here:
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Christmas Giving 2025: Coal for the Committee
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
NBC Sports' Nicole Auerbach joins to talk about the committee being very bad at their job, being tasked with too many things by the sport as a whole, what changes might come, the Elphaba Chris Ash graphic, improving Heisman discourse and much more. Donate here to the Center for the Homeless: Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here:
info_outlineJessica Smetana joins to recap a very lopsided Steve Angeli Bowl. Love for Heisman, elite safety play, NBC Universal synergy, much more. (Congrats to Utah on reverse jinxing them into an awesome comeback during the recording.)
Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport