Notre Dame ranks as the third most valuable college football program

Notre Dame football has been named the third most valuable program in college football by The Athletic, with an estimated valuation of $2.1 billion. This ranking follows a record-breaking jersey patch contract, reinforcing the program's elite status. The top two programs above Notre Dame are Texas and Ohio State, while Michigan closely follows. This significant boost in value indicates Notre Dame's growing brand strength under head coach Marcus Freeman. The list reflects a change since a previous evaluation earlier this year by CNBC, highlighting a positive trend for the Irish.

• 11:02 AMYahoo Sports — The Athletic has Notre Dame as a top-3 most valuable football program