Congratulations to the NCAA 1977 National Champions, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. The 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, coached by Dan Devine, ended the season with 11 wins and one loss, winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl Classic by a score of a 38–10. The Irish leaped four spots in the polls after the Cotton Bowl Classic victory to claim the consensus title. The 1977 squad became the tenth Irish team to win the national title.

Because of their team's success, 13 Senior members of that squad has declared their intentions of becoming professionals and will attend this season's draft combine.

The cream of the crop of the National Champions declaring for the drat has to be SS Herbert Lynn , who is expected to go within the top 5 selections by USFL team GMs. Center Louis Gray is also expected to be a first round pick, while CB Eric Bigham is expected to be either a 2nd or early 3rd round pick. And Special Team players, Punter Richard Griffin and Kicker Cecil Starr are also expected to be selected by a USFL Team. The remaining 8 Notre Dame players declaring for the Draft might make it as backup within the league, but that would be their best option.