Notre Dame football is just around the corner. After a tantalizingly long offseason, fans are waiting in anticipation to see their team play once again. While the season is near, it isn’t here yet. Luckily, with the schedule available in a nearly finished form, there’s still plenty to sink one’s teeth into.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest games to circle and others that could leave Marcus Freeman’s team wanting more.
Top 3 Biggest Opponents On Notre Dame’s Schedule
The first game of the season is always one of the biggest in any sport, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s schedule is no exception. This year’s season opener against Wisconsin is set to be extra special, with the contest set to take place on a neutral field. Expect all eyes to be on Marcus Freeman’s team for its tone-setter. A win is expected, but a close game or a loss could take all of September to shake off.
Any game with Bill Belichick is going to garner extra attention by default. If the coach can turn around the North Carolina Tar Heels in time for the Oct. 3 showdown, Notre Dame could have a tough contest. Belichick will also have home-field advantage, so expect Marcus Freeman’s team to be pushed and in the center of the spotlight at the dawn of October.
Navy and Army are two teams that always get extra attention, regardless of which team stands on the opposing sideline. As such, Notre Dame vs. Navy will have extra eyes. With Navy coming off two of the best back-to-back seasons in the team’s history, expect CJ Carr to be pushed to the edge. The contest will also be played on a neutral field, which signals a reason to circle the contest.
3 Games Where Marcus Freeman’s Squad Will Fall Short
The Miami Hurricanes gave the world Cam Ward and a national championship run with Carson Beck in recent years. Expect Notre Dame to meet its match. The Nov. 7 contest will take place one game after the team faces Navy. As such, Marcus Freeman will have to choose which game to prioritize in his planning. If he chooses to focus on Navy, he might go into the following game lacking his best tricks.
Going on the road is never easy, and it only gets harder when facing a team that is coming off back-to-back double-digit wins in 2024 and 2025. Notre Dame will travel to face BYU on Oct. 17, before facing Navy and Miami, which sets the stage for an easy chance to overlook one of the teams. BYU could be that one that slips through the cracks.
It doesn’t get much more stressful than the doorstep of the playoffs, and facing a tough team at a tough time is a recipe for trouble. The SMU Mustangs have not had a losing season since 2018, so history shows that CJ Carr will have to put his best foot forward if he wants to put the Fighting Irish over the top.
Overview
Overall, Notre Dame is in solid shape and riding high on momentum to start the year. However, one can argue that the season really won’t kick off for Marcus Freeman until mid-October, with a brutal stretch to finish the year. If the Fighting Irish can emerge with a double-digit total heading into the postseason, a run could be in the cards.
Here’s a look at the full schedule, courtesy of ESPN.
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (EST) | TV |
| Sun, Sept 6 | vs Wisconsin * | 7:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Sept 12 | vs Rice | 3:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Sept 19 | vs Michigan State | 7:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Sept 26 | @ Purdue | TBD | |
| Sat, Oct 3 | @ North Carolina | TBD | |
| Sat, Oct 10 | vs Stanford | 3:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Oct 17 | @ BYU | TBD | |
| Sat, Oct 31 | vs Navy * | 12:00 PM | |
| Sat, Nov 7 | vs Miami | 7:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Nov 14 | vs Boston College | 3:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Nov 21 | vs SMU | 7:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Nov 28 | @ Syracuse | TBD |
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