Instant Reaction: Notre Dame 70 Syracuse 7
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Release Date: 11/23/2025
A Dream of Notre Dame Spring Practice 2026 + TV Club: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Irish Sports Daily's Jamie Uyeyama joins to discuss some questions that could be at least partially answered by the end of spring practice. Included: How does C.J. Carr perform when there's no competition and also no Jeremiyah Love? Who steps in at the skill position slots? What's the only position with potential depth concerns? Do any freshmen force their way onto the field? Then we close (46:45) by gathering in the Baratheon pavilion for a discussion about the delightful A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here:
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Notre Dame's New Defensive Assistants + A Review of the 2025 FBS Coaching Hires
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
Jessica Smetana joins for a supersized episode. First, we run through the news on Aaron Henry and Brian Jean-Mary reportedly being added to the Fighting Irish staff, Notre Dame's relationship with the ACC and a College Football Playoff schedule that has somehow gotten worse. Then (25:45) a pivot to discussing every single new head coaching hire in FBS, starting with the Big Ten and ending with UConn. Included: Questions for Sparty, strange goings-on at Utah, some fun moves by the Big XII, the SEC raiding the AAC, "The Americans," a few small morning beers, Stanford's curious hire, MAC scandals...
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A Diagnosis of What's Ailing Notre Dame Basketball
Rakes Report: A Notre Dame podcast
The Athletic's Sabreena Merchant joins to discuss what is hopefully a blip season for the Fighting Irish women's team, including praise for Hannah Hidalgo, questions about roster construction, Niele Ivey's performance and whether women's basketball generally is in a bit of a rut. Then (42:30) Sam Werner (Three-Point Jesus podcast) and Joe Schueller (18 Stripes) discuss what has gone awry in Micah Shrewsberry's third season and where the men's program goes from here. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here:
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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:
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.)
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