Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546494
10 SEPT. 12, 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME Notre Dame will have a familiar voice analyzing plays on the airwaves this football season. In August, the Fighting Irish announced that for- mer defensive lineman Mike Golic Sr. will serve as the color analyst for the radio broadcast team. Golic, 63, replaces former Notre Dame offensive lineman Ryan Harris, who stepped away from his post this offseason after eight seasons. Golic joins play-by-play announcer Tony Sime- one, who is entering his third season on the call. Johnny Soper is back as the studio host. "We are thrilled to add a voice of Mike's cali- ber to our radio broadcast team," Notre Dame deputy athletics director for corporate relations Jim Fraleigh said. "As a former player, Mike brings a rare combination of broadcasting expertise and a genuine passion for Notre Dame and college football as a whole. He'll pair perfectly with the chemistry Tony and Johnny have built over the past two seasons." Golic returns to South Bend more than four de- cades after starring for the Irish from 1981-84. He served as a team captain for coach Gerry Faust as a senior in 1984 and now returns as the newest voice on Notre Dame's radio broadcasts. "Some places never leave your heart; Notre Dame is one of those places for me," Golic said in a press release. "To now have the opportunity to serve on the radio team with Tony and Johnny is both humbling and exciting. I am looking forward to every game and sharing the passion that makes Irish football unlike anything else." After his Notre Dame career, Golic was selected by the Houston Oilers with the 255th pick in the 1985 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons with the Oilers, five with the Philadelphia Eagles and fin- ished his career with the Miami Dolphins in 1993. In June, ESPN announced Golic's return alongside his son, former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. for a new show, The Golics, which debuted September 1and airs weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on ESPN Radio. On fall Saturdays, you can catch the elder Golic on the Irish radio broadcast alongside Simeone and Roper. "This trio brings the top-tier football analysis our fans expect and that authentic connection that makes Notre Dame so special. Fans are going to be in good hands all season," Fraleigh said. — Kyle Kelly HELMET DECAL WILL HONOR LOU HOLTZ Notre Dame will honor the late, legendary head coach Lou Holtz with a helmet decal throughout the 2026 season, the Irish announced Sept. 1. The decal reads "LOU" in white letters on a black background, with hands making "L" shapes with their thumb and index fingers on either side. It sits on the back-right side of the helmet, just to the right of the "NCAA" decal. Holtz, who won Notre Dame's most recent national champion- ship in 1988, passed away March 4 at 89 years old. During his time at Notre Dame, Holtz went 100-30-2 with an undefeated season in 1988 and one-loss seasons in 1989, 1992 and 1993. He won five bowl games now considered "New Year's Six" bowls: The Fiesta Bowl in 1988, the Orange Bowl in 1898, the Sugar Bowl in 1991 and the Cotton Bowl in 1992 and 1993. — Jack Soble NBC ANNOUNCES 2026 NOTRE DAME BROADCAST TEAM A familiar duo is back in the booth to call Notre Dame home football games for NBC in 2026, alongside a new sideline reporter. NBC Sports announced that Dan Hicks (play-by-play) and Jason Garrett (analyst) will return for their third season together in South Bend. Carolina Pineda will join them on the sideline for her first season reporting on Fighting Irish football games. She replaces Zora Stephenson. They'll call four Notre Dame games this season, starting with the season-opening Sham- rock Series matchup against Wisconsin. The Hicks-Garrett-Pineda trio will also call 3:30 p.m. ET kickoffs against Rice (Sept. 12), Stanford (Oct. 10) and Boston College (Nov. 21). Notre Dame's prime-time home games — Michigan State on Sept. 19, Miami on Nov. 7 and SMU on Nov. 21 — will get NBC's No. 1 college football booth of Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporter). All home games, including the Shamrock Series matchup, will be simulcast on NBC and Peacock. — Jack Soble TWO PLAYERS SIDELINED DURING FALL CAMP On Aug. 12, it was announced that sophomore offensive lineman Matty Augustine sustained a right foot, fifth metatarsal injury, and freshman cornerback Chaz Smith injured his right wrist, scaphoid. According to Notre Dame communications, both injuries required surgery, but both players are expected to be available later in the season. No timetable has been given for their potential return. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Augustine was competing for the right guard spot with senior Sullivan Absher. Last season, he appeared in four games and logged 55 snaps at right tackle. Smith's injury is less detrimental to the Irish defense entering the season. While the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has shown flashes both in spring practice and during fall camp, the Notre Dame cornerback depth chart is one of the deepest units on the team, if not the country. — Kyle Kelly MIKE GOLIC SR. JOINS NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL RADIO BROADCAST TEAM Golic, who played at Notre Dame from 1981-84 and was named a team captain as a senior, will serve as the color analyst for Fighting Irish games. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER Sophomore offensive lineman Matty Augustine sustained a right foot injury that required surgery and sidelined him for the beginning of the season. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER