Ranked defenses stand ready as Notre Dame faces a 2026 schedule packed with seasoned units, many bolstered by the transfer portal.
With every passing season in college football, the transfer portal continues to play an ever-growing role in how team's make up a starting lineup. For Notre Dame's opponents in 2026, every team with the exception of the Naval Academy will have impact portal players in the starting lineup or in the two-deep. After diving into each team, I ranked the defenses that Notre Dame will face this upcoming season, and it starts with another team who felt like they should have played in the playoffs in 2025.
1. BYU Cougars
The Cougars return seven of their 11 defensive starters from 2025 for this upcoming season with impactful returners at every level. Losing sack leader Jack Kelly was a blow, but defensive end Bodie Schoonover who finished the team 2nd in sacks returns in 2026 along with defensive tackle Keanu Tanavasa. Linebackers Isaiah Glasker and Siale Esera combined for 115 tackles and 12.0 tackles for a loss a season ago; they also return to anchor the defense in 2026. BYU also returns both starting outside corners in Therrian Alexander III and Evan Johnson who combined for 81 tackles, 12 passes defended and 6 interceptions. Safety Faletau Satuala returns on the back end after leading the team in tackles in 2025.
2. Miami Hurricanes
Despite losing Rueben Bain and Akeem Mesidor, the Hurricanes defense is still loaded. Defensive tackles Ahmad Moten and Justin Scott return up the middle along with rotational Marquise Lightfoot on the edge who rotated in quite a bit in 2025. They also picked up Damon Wilson from Missouri in the portal. At linebacker, starting Mohammed Toure returns for his 8th season of collegiate ball while the majority of their secondary remains intact with Xavier Lucas, OJ Frederique and safety Zechariah Poyser returning. They also picked up Jarquez Carter in the portal at defensive tackle from Ohio State and Keona Davis at defensive tackle from Nebraska.
3. Wisconsin Badgers
Similar to the offensive side of the ball, the Badgers were aided a lot by the transfer portal to go along with their six returning starters from last season. Wisconsin returns impact players at every level including defensive ends Darryl Peterson and Aaron Witt. Ben Barton returns along the interior at defensive tackle as well. At linebacker, Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa return after leading the team in tackles with a combined 114 total tackles in 2025. Safety Matt Jung is the only returning starter in the secondary but the Badgers revamped their back end through the portal. They snagged nine portal players who are expected to make an impact this upcoming season including:
EDGE - Justus Boone, Arkansas
EDGE - DeNigel Cooper, App State
DT - Junior Poyser, Buffalo
DT - Hammond Russell IV, West Virginia
DT - Jake Anderson, Illinois State
LB - Jon Jon Kamara, Kansas
CB - Javan Robinson, Arizona State
CB - Eric Fletcher, Oklahoma State
CB - Bryce West, Ohio State
S - Carson Van Dinter, Iowa State
Like any team, if Wisconsin can get these group of portal players to work together as a cohesive unit, this will be one of the better defenses Notre Dame will face in 2026.
4. Navy Midshipmen
Obviously, the transfer portal won't make as much, if any, impact with the Midshipmen year over year. Thankfully, defensive coordinator PJ Volker returns seven of his starters from last season. Defensive lineman Julien Moutome and Griffen Willis return to anchor the trenches. Linebackers MarcAnthony Parker and Coleman Cauley return after combining for 179 tackles and 9.0 tackles for a loss. Their secondary remains mostly intact with cornerback Irabonoise Oniha coming back along with safeties Guiseppe Sessi and Phillip Hamilton. That trio combined for 154 tackles, nine passes defended, and three interceptions in 2025.
5. Stanford Cardinal
I'm a little higher on Stanford this upcoming season than most. No, I don't think they'll compete for the ACC, but they'll be significantly better than they have been the last two seasons. They return six of their 11 starters on defense from this past season and the players who return were their most talented from a season ago. Edge players Tavarua Tafiti and Ernest Cooper return along with linebacker Matt Rose who led the defense with a resounding 106 total tackles. Their secondary returns cornerback Brandon Nicholson who led the team last season in passes defended and interceptions. Safeties Jay Green and Scotty Edwards also return who combined for 93 tackles, seven passes defended and 2.5 sacks in 2025.
6. SMU Mustangs
I wanted to put this team higher; I think SMU could make some noise in the ACC this season, but it will be dependent on their defense who lost all four of their starting defensive line from this past season. They'll be relying on Marques White from UMASS, Ira Singleton from South Florida, Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder from Kansas State and Christian Davis from LA Tech to step in and start making immediate contributions. I'm always weary of units in the trenches predominantly made up through the portal. Hopefully SMU can end the stigma. With that being said, they still return Brandon Booker and Alexander Kilgore at linebacker who were two of the team's top leading tacklers last season. They also return cornerbacks Marcellus Barnes and Williams Nettles. If I'm wrong on SMU, it's due to their defensive line panning out in 2026.
7. Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans only return four starters from their defense this past season, but I have a lot of faith in the defensive mind of new head coach Pat Fitzgerald and his two defensive coordinators in Joe Rossi and former Notre Dame linebackers coach Max Bullough. We are going to see a defense this season that's more like the Michigan State defenses we've seen of the past: disciplined, good tacklers and aggressive. They have some key pieces to build around like defensive lineman Ben Roberts and Isaac Smith. Linebacker Jordan Hall returns along with their secondary utility knife Nikai Martinez. They also picked up several players in the portal to supplement their losses including three defensive lineman, two linebackers and four defensive backs expected to make immediate impacts in East Lansing.
8. Purdue Boilermakers
It's year two of the Barry Odom era in West Lafayette and their defense is expected to take another step in the right direction. Four starters from 2025 come back in 2026 including defensive lineman Ian Jefferies and Breeon Ishmail. Linebacker, and second leading tackler, Charles Correa returns to anchor the defense. Cornerback Hudauri Hines returns after leading the team in passes defended and interceptions also comes back. These four core players will be aided by portal additions including several pieces in the trenches. Purdue also picked up three safeties in the portal including Jaen Mangham from Michigan and John Slaughter from Colorado.
9. Boston College
Five of their 11 starters return from this past season, but the outlook on Boston College's defense is still relatively low. They lost some of their most impactful talent to the portal. With that being said, defensive tackle Chris Marable returns to anchor the interior of the defensive line. Cornerbacks Max Tucker and Isaiah Farris come back along with Carter Davis and KP Price on the back end. Their secondary remains mostly intact, but their overall ranking on this list is largely due to their portal additions. They were solid and include players like KJ Sampson from Florida State and Justin Medlock from SMU. I just don't think they did enough in the portal to supplement some of their losses.
10. North Carolina Tarheels
The Tarheel's defense was ravaged by departures this offseason losing three impact players to the portal and five others to graduation. Defensive end Melkart Abou-Jaoude is the lone defensive lineman returning, they don't bring back a single starting linebacker from this past season and bring back two players in the secondary in Jaiden Patterson and Kaleb Cost. They did pick up Ade Willie from Michigan State to add to their secondary which is a solid pickup. North Carolina also snagged Peyton Seelman from Richmond who was an extremely productive player putting up 120 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions in 2025.
11. Syracuse Orange
If Fran Brown is going to make the turnaround we hope he can, he'll have to get a lot out of this defense. Similar to SMU, they don't bring back a single starting defensive lineman from 2025. They do return linebackers Gary Bryant III and Antoine Deslauriers in the middle which is promising. At corner, they return Demetres Samuel and Chris Peal but their personnel in the trenches took a major hit. They'll be relying on a host of transfers from UNLV, UT Martin, Georgia State and Maryland to supplement their losses on the defensive line, a unit that struggled mightily last season down the stretch. If Syracuse is going to turn around their fortunes in 2026, their defense, specifically, their defensive line, will have to show out.
12. Rice Owls
The Owls were an extremely veteran team in 2025 and still only managed a 5-8 record, losing to Texas State in the post season 41-10. They only return three starters from that team in defensive lineman Joseph Mutombo and Dillan Botts. They only return one starter in their back seven in cornerback Jerrick Harper. Outside of those three, they'll be relying on a slew of portal additions on the defensive side of the ball. Safety Koa Akui from Sacramento State was an an extremely productive player in 2025 putting up 65 tackles, six passes defended and five interceptions. He will be one of the better players in their secondary walking in on day one.
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