Ranking Notre Dame's Schedule Part I
Notre Dame’s football schedule always seems to keep folks on their toes as it is always a little more tricky than it might appear at first glance.
Is it as tough as Florida’s 2024 schedule on paper? Definitely not, but the Fighting Irish have some deceptive trap games this season and no easy wins after its September 16th game against Central Michigan.
Today, we’ll take a look at the top six games on Notre Dame’s schedule.
1. Ohio State (September 23rd)
Importance: Notre Dame competed for three quarters a year ago in Columbus and quite frankly, Marcus Freeman could have easily left Ohio Stadium with a victory. This is a measuring stick for both programs, but Notre Dame and Freeman need a statement win. The Clemson win last year was great, but the Tigers aren’t Ohio State. A win would do wonders for the direction of the program inside The Gug, but also on the recruiting trail.
Personal Interest: Who doesn’t love big games? And being from the Columbus area, it will be fun to see friends coming to South Bend for the weekend. Marvin Harrison vs. Benjamin Morrison. Joe Alt and Blake Fisher going against Ohio State’s elite edge rushers. Green jerseys. What’s not to like about this matchup?
Unanswered Question: How many Ohio State fans will invade Notre Dame Stadium? Georgia did it in 2017 and Cincinnati had several fans in 2021. Will Notre Dame fans sell their tickets for a pretty penny and will the university do anything to help limit the Scarlet and Gray?
2. At Clemson (November 4th)
Importance: This game could have College Football Playoff implications for both teams. Not to take anything away from Duke, Louisville or NC State, but this will be Notre Dame’s first road game where they’ll truly have to prepare for the environment. Clemson has seen a slight dip in talent since the 2015, 2018 and 2020 teams, but make no mistake, a win for Notre Dame in Death Valley would be an enormous win for the program for the same reasons as a victory over Ohio State.
Personal Interest: The 2015 game was an instant classic, but the tropical storm ruined any type of experience at one of college football’s top venues. I remember stopping by a tailgate and it was miserable. The open-air press box was a great touch, but it’d be better if it didn’t include historic levels of rain and wind. It will be great to experience prime time at Clemson without the weather completely ruining the weekend.
Unanswered Question: How good is Cade Klubnik? Experience won’t be a factor for him in November. But the even bigger question will be how good is the Clemson offensive line? It reminds me a bit of Notre Dame’s defensive line. There are names you have heard over the last few years, but are there any elite players there? And that offensive line surely hasn’t forgotten what happened in South Bend last fall.
3. USC (October 14th)
Importance: Clemson probably has Notre Dame circled on the calendar and the Fighting Irish definitely have done the same for the Trojans after last fall. There is little doubt Caleb Williams will be the top quarterback the Irish see this season and Al Golden will need to figure out a better game plan than whatever happened in LA last year. This rivalry has been one-sided in recent years and Notre Dame needs to throw a punch back. The loss last fall didn’t necessarily impact recruiting, but it’s clear USC is starting to get it together across the board and a win would slow that process a bit. The night will also likely have some type of playoff stakes as well.
Personal Interest: If you can get to this game, I’d recommend it. Watching Caleb Williams on TV is impressive, but live is a different story as some of the stuff he does is remarkable. I have no idea how he’ll do in the NFL, but over the years, it’s hard to pinpoint a more dynamic player. As it relates to Notre Dame, some of the best atmospheres in recent years have come in this rivalry. USC doesn’t have enough fans that care enough to travel to South Bend and Notre Dame fans have been loud.
Unanswered Question: Can Notre Dame find a pass rush to impact the game? They have several intriguing players who have the potential to make life difficult for quarterbacks, but Williams is a different animal. The other piece is Notre Dame will need to stop the run. The Trojans ran for 204 yards at 5.2 yards a tote last year, which made Williams’ plays even more backbreaking. If you remember, Drew Pyne actually outplayed the Heisman winner if you look at the stats, but Williams made the key plays on third down and on the ground in the red zone.
4. At Duke (September 30th)
Importance: If you haven’t noticed, Mike Elko has the Blue Devils program rolling in just one year and they are more than capable of beating Notre Dame, especially given the Irish will be coming off a showdown with Ohio State. Duke has an experienced roster and it starts with quarterback Riley Leonard, who threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions while leading the team with 699 rushing yards and 13 more scores last fall. It’s important for Freeman and his team to show they can come off a big game and be dialed in. Notre Dame struggled last year coming off big games as they lost to Marshall following Ohio State, lost to Stanford after a big win in Vegas against BYU and then melted down in the second half against Navy after taking down Clemson the week before. A convincing win at Duke would be a positive step regardless of the outcome against Ohio State, but even a win would be a step in the right direction.
Personal Interest: I’d be lying if I was excited to go back to Duke. The press box is tiny and while the stadium is unique, it doesn’t do too much for me. Mike Elko is one of the good guys in college football and his success isn’t surprising at all, so it’ll be good to see him. That said, this one wouldn’t be super high on my personal ranking of games, but for Notre Dame, it’s way more important. Yes, it’s strange to have a football game against Duke this high.
Unanswered Question: How mentally strong is this Notre Dame team? Can they handle the high of a top five win or the low of seeing playoff hopes go out the window? Either way, Notre Dame’s response following the outcome of the Ohio State game will be interesting to watch.
5. Pitt (October 28th)
Importance: Pitt went 9-4 last year and won its final five games of the year, which included wins over Duke, Miami and UCLA. The good news for Notre Dame is running back Israel Abanikanda is gone, but the Irish will be playing three former players in quarterback Phil Jurkovec, running back C’Bo Flemister and linebacker Shayne Simon. Notre Dame fans clearly don’t like Pat Narduzzi or Jurkovec so this one will have plenty of storylines. This one probably is similar in terms of NC State and Louisville in terms of what I expect to see on the field, but the drama gives the game an edge over others.
Personal Interest: Jurkovec returning to Notre Dame...hopefully, he plays this time as this would be the third time he’s set to face his former team. Personally, I think Jurkovec is a good college quarterback and he’s been dealt a raw deal with injuries, which is partly due to his aggressive style of play. That said, Pitt always seems to play Notre Dame tough and it’s led to some entertaining games.
Unanswered Question: Notre Dame will come off its first bye week of the season following the USC game. Similar to Duke, how will Notre Dame handle the bye week regardless of a win or loss. Notre Dame beat BYU following its bye week last year and was pretty sharp. They’ll need to do the same this year.
6. Wake Forest (November 18th)
Importance: Notre Dame could be in the middle of a playoff run and the ACC will throw a final wrench at the Irish by scheduling Sam Hartman’s former team for his last game at Notre Dame Stadium. Hartman and Wake Forest aren’t on Jurkovec terms, but it’s probably safe to say the Demon Deacons will be fired up for it combined with knowing him better than any team the Irish will face in 2023. Now, the game will be after Notre Dame’s second bye week, which should help Hartman, but it will be an emotional day for the Irish signal-caller.
Personal Interest: Another game where there isn’t much personal interest, but Senior Day at Notre Dame is always a cool experience. It could also be the last time Notre Dame fans get to see Joe Alt, Blake Fisher and Audric Estime in the blue and gold at home.
Unanswered Question: Can Notre Dame stop the slow mesh? Stanford gave Notre Dame issues last fall. Now, Wake Forest's quarterback won’t be as efficient as Hartman, but it’s just a pain to defend and it’s probably a good thing the Irish will have an extra week to plan for it. Rest and health will also be key and a late bye is positive.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Luggage Set
