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 and high hopes for the new faces in the new Pac-12. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport  

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: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

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: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

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: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

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: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport  

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: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

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 watch.) Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

The Spreadsheets & Tailgates newsletter's 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: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport Donate here to the Center for the Homeless: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rakes-report-christmas-giving-2025    

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: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rakes-report-christmas-giving-2025

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: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rakes-report-christmas-giving-2025 Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here: https://rakesreport.dashery.com/ Grievance airers: Paul Coletti Jesse Dang Alex Herrmann Bridget Reynolds Jessica Smetana Andrew Smith Nina Steigerwald Sam Werner  

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: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rakes-report-christmas-giving-2025 Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here: https://rakesreport.dashery.com/

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: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rakes-report-christmas-giving-2025 Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here: https://rakesreport.dashery.com/

Jamie Uyeyama of Irish Sports Daily joins to talk some more about Notre Dame being left out of the playoff before pivoting to discussing how good this 2025 team was and how the program is set to get even better in the aftermath of the snub. Donate here to the Center for the Homeless: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rakes-report-christmas-giving-2025 Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here: https://rakesreport.dashery.com/

Jessica Smetana joins to kick off our annual fundraising for the Center for the Homeless in South Bend. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rakes-report-christmas-giving-2025 An extended therapy session where we respect conspiracy theories being true and discuss Notre Dame's decision to eschew a bowl. Holiday shirts (with all proceeds going to the CFH) available here: https://rakesreport.dashery.com/

Feel free to skip this and keep living your life but there are a lot of questions and confusion out there so the Spreadsheets & Tailgates newsletter's Michael Bryan stopped in for a concise look at the process, metrics, odds and conspiracy theories that could or could not affect the Fighting Irish's playoff fate on Sunday. Guns up. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

Jessica Smetana joins to discuss the Fighting Irish romping to a late-night win in their regular season finale. A dominant first 33 minutes, an incredible fake punt, the cursed vibes of Palo Alto, a bummer rivalry weekend, playoff discourse and much more. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

Jessica Smetana joins as the third chair for a draft of our favorite 18 games of the weekend, starting with Thursday night's American clash through a pivotal Saturday primetime slate. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport

Jessica 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

A late-night clash for the Islands Showdown trophy, a battle for both Silver Spade Trophy Mayor's Cup and plenty of danger for teams in the hunt for conference titles. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport  

Jessica Smetana joins to discuss the Fighting Irish's domination of the Panthers. Jeremiyah Love and Malachi Fields' excellence, Chris Ash's unit excelling, Pat Narduzzi being Pat Narduzzi, some annoying narratives and much more. Sign up for the newsletter and/or browse the merch here: https://linktr.ee/rakesreport