The 2024 football season is less than 30 days away. With Notre Dame in prime position for a playoff run -- if all goes according to plan -- here's a look at three crucial games on the Irish schedule, including something of a "revenge game" in late September.
Photo via The Irish Tribune
Fall camp is South Bend is approaching, meaning the start of a new season is upon us. The 2024 campaign across the country will provide a different look for the college football landscape. Conference realignment, a new playoff format, and different rule changes have led to unprecedented anticipation for this year's season. And, when it comes to Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish will also experience changes with an unusual schedule this time around.
With only three true road games and three neutral-site games in NFL stadiums, many contents will be intriguing to follow throughout the year. Nonetheless, three games on the schedule stand alone, each for their own unique reasons.
at Texas A&M
Date: August 31
Location: College Station, TX
Kickoff Time: 7:30 PM EST
Broadcast Network: ABC
Texas A&M is the obvious choice in the leadoff position. The road and season opener against the Aggies has the biggest single storyline: Riley Leonard against his former coach at Duke, who is also the former Notre Dame defensive coordinator, Mike Elko.
The season opener also serves as the first look at a completely revamped Notre Dame offensive unit.
How will Mike Denbrock overhaul last year's lackluster Fighting Irish offense?
Will Riley Leonard be fully healthy going into this game?
How will an inexperienced Notre Dame offensive line handle the wild night-game environment at College Station?
The current line for this game -- one that has fluctuated throughout the offseason -- has Notre Dame sitting as a one-point underdog. But, this is as much of a toss-up game for Vegas prognosticators as any.
The Labor Day opener will certainly be one of the biggest games of the season for Notre Dame. And college football as a whole.
vs. Louisville
Date: September 28
Location: South Bend, IN
Kickoff Time: 3:30 PM EST
Broadcast Network: Exclusively on Peacock
After Texas A&M, the biggest game on the schedule, for many, will be a September home tilt against Louisville. Last season's loss to the Cardinals was the backbreaking blow that deflated Notre Dame's potential hopes at making the playoff. It was a second-half debacle that left people calling for the removal of Gerad Parker as offensive coordinator in the first place. Turnover woes, untimely penalties, and clutch big plays by a high-powered Cardinals offense was just too much for the Irish to handle.
This year, in their second year under head coach Jeff Brohm, the Cardinals are looking to build on their 10-win campaign from a year ago. A retooling of their offensive via the transfer portal will give them that opportunity. Coach Brohm and the Cardinals will most likely come to South Bend undefeated after starting the year against Austin Peay, Jacksonville State, and Georgia Tech.
In the ultimate revenge game, where both teams could easily come in undefeated, the Fighting Irish will certainly have a bad taste left in their mouth when they see the Louisville Cardinals come out of the tunnel in front of a raucous Notre Dame Stadium crowd.
vs. Florida State
Date: November 9
Location: South Bend, IN
Kickoff Time: 7:30 PM EST
Broadcast Network: NBC/Peacock
As the calendar flips to November, many rosters will be banged up from the wear and tear of the regular season; yet, the sole Notre Dame home night game against the Florida State Seminoles might be the biggest game the Irish have all year.
Notre Dame has steadily handled Florida State since a crushing defeat in 2014, a game that flipped back in FSU's favor due an offensive pass interference call against the visiting Irish in Tallahassee.
The last time the Seminoles came to South Bend was during Notre Dame's undefeated 2018 season. The Irish delivered a complete performance on Senior Night that evening, handing the 'Noles a 43-13 defeat.
However, this year will be quite different. Head coach Mike Norvell has the Seminoles coming off an impressive undefeated regular season and an ACC title last year. The former Memphis head coach also brought in quarterback transfer DJ Uiagalelei, who is 0-2 in Notre Dame Stadium, to captain FSU throughout the 2024 campaign.
A game that will be played on what will surely be a cold November night in South Bend against a Florida State team that most likely despises like the cold? Yea, give me a snowy forecast and sign me up!
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