Written by: Jhett Garrett | Writer | Twitter/X: @JhettGarrett
Photo by Notre Dame Athletics
Notre Dame is one of the most storied programs in college football history, with plenty of rivalries that will last forever. The Irish picked one of those rivalries back up recently in Michigan State, as the two teams will again meet for the first time in a decade in 2026. Following this announcement, let’s take a look at five teams that should be added to the Notre Dame schedule regularly.
5. Penn State Nittany Lions
9-9-1 All-Time Series; Last Matchup 9/8/2007, Penn State 31 Notre Dame 10
A series that started back in 1913, the Notre Dame-Penn State matchup saw the two sides collide 13 times from 1976-1992, including 12 straight matchups from 1981 to 1992. The 80s were mostly dominated by the Nittany Lions, seeing them win six of nine matchups against the Irish. The series ended following the 1992 matchup in Notre Dame Stadium, which was won by the Fighting Irish 17-16, however, it was picked back up in 2006 for a home-and-home series. The 2007 matchup remains historic, as it was the first time in Penn State history that the entire stadium wore white, starting the iconic “White Out Game” that the Lions host at least once a season.
Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, the two programs have found themselves in similar scenarios. Neither side has been able to break the mold and take that next step towards winning a National Championship. Penn State’s last National Championship came in 1986 when they defeated Miami (FL), while Notre Dame’s last National Championship came just two years later in 1988, where they defeated West Virginia.
Under James Franklin, the Nittany Lions have accomplished five ten-win seasons and even won the Rose Bowl back in 2022. However, the daunting task of knocking off Ohio State and Michigan in the same season has been the Achilles heel for Penn State, leaving them out of the Playoff.
On the other hand, Notre Dame has had ten or more wins in every season but two since the 2015 season, where they have won four bowl games, and made two trips to the College Football Playoff. However, the Irish have always had those one or two big games on the schedule that they just cannot get over. In some cases, it has felt as if they had the talent to do so, and they just haven’t been able to put it all together. This would be a really fun series to resume in the coming years, and there would be a lot of East Coast Notre Dame fans who would enjoy this renewed series.
4. Texas Longhorns
Notre Dame leads All-Time Series 9-3; Last Matchup 9/4/2016 Texas 50 Notre Dame 47 OT
Two of the biggest brands in all of college sports, both of which always have some of the highest expectations entering every season. The last matchup between these two sides came in a forgettable 2016 season for both teams. Following the overtime win for the Longhorns, Texas was considered “back.” However, neither team was bowl-eligible and were forced to go back to the drawing board.
Nearly a decade later, the two sides have yet to meet again. Texas has had three different head coaches since their last meeting and has not won a bowl game since 2020 under Tom Herman. With Steve Sarkisian now there, the Longhorns saw themselves playing in the College Football Playoff this past season, falling short against the National Runner Up Washington Huskies.
Historically speaking, the Irish and the Longhorns find themselves tied for fourth all-time with 948 wins, and four National Championships with their most recent coming in 2005 over USC. Some of the greatest college football players of all time come from these two programs, which makes it fitting for these schools to play regularly. One of the biggest players would be the fact that Texas is now a member of the SEC, which means they are more than likely struggling with their scheduling as it is.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State leads All-Time series 6-2; Last Matchup 9/23/2023 Ohio State 17 Notre Dame 14
If you ask any Notre Dame fan one game they would love to have back, the matchup with Ohio State in South Bend this past season would most likely be the first game that comes to mind. A game that was predominantly controlled by the Irish for most of the second half, came down to a last-second touchdown scored by the Buckeyes with 10 men on the field for Notre Dame. Nearly a year later, that loss still stings, and it probably won’t go away. That game felt like the first opportunity for Notre Dame to silence the critics who say the Irish can’t win the big game since the 2020 College Football Playoff. Not coming away with a victory at home was harrowing for the program.
Nonetheless, the previous Ohio State series over the last two seasons have been some of the most anticipated regular season games for Notre Dame fans in decades. Having a perennial top-five team in the country regularly is what Notre Dame needs. Following the previous matchup, a rivalry seemed to be conceived.
A postgame interview with Ryan Day seemed normal as usual until he called out the legendary Notre Dame head coach, Lou Holtz, who had some less than kind opinions on the Buckeyes. It was what switched everything from this series, and with the bitter taste still in the mouths of Marcus Freeman and company, extending this series before the end of the decade would be perfect. The two biggest brands in college football playing hard-nosed football on the gridiron is something that all college football fans across the country will want to watch.
2. Miami Hurricanes
Notre Dame leads All-Time series 17-8-1; Last Matchup 11/11/2017 Miami 41 Notre Dame 8
Catholics vs. Convicts. It’s one of the most historic catchphrases to ever grace college football, and it was started because of the Notre Dame-Miami rivalry in the 1980s. From 1971-1990, these teams played every single year but one, which was arguably the peak years for both programs. Miami was putting players in the NFL like it was nothing, and Notre Dame was on a quest to get back to the top. It was the perfect rivalry that everyone couldn’t help but watch.
The 1988 meeting in South Bend was the peak of the rivalry, dubbed Catholics vs. Convicts. Despite the pregame noise that was born from a t-shirt, things were hot on the field between the two sides. It was a matchup between the number one-ranked Hurricanes, and the number four-ranked Irish. After clawing their way back into the game from a ten-point deficit in the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes two-point attempt at the end of the game came up short, resulting in a 31-30 victory for Notre Dame, who would later go on to win the National Championship.
This rivalry is set to renew next season after being pushed back from the 2023 season. Now, the Irish will play the Hurricanes in Hard Rock Stadium in 2025 before hosting Miami in 2026.
1. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan leads All-Time series 25-17-1; Last Matchup 10/26/2019 Michigan 45 Notre Dame 14
For most Notre Dame fans, the Michigan Wolverines are towards the top of the “Most Hated List.” From teaching the Irish how to play football, to removing them from the schedule for their Catholic values, there is no love lost between Notre Dame and Michigan.
The first meeting between the two teams came back in 1887, finding Michigan winning 8-0 just hours after teaching the Irish how to play. Due to poor conditions, it is said that the game only lasted around 90 minutes, and ended with Father Superior Walsh telling the Wolverines they would always be greeted with a “cordial reception” when entering South Bend. Little did Father Walsh know, that would not be the case in the future.
The first eight meetings were all won by the Wolverines; however, things would change after the Irish won in 1909. Following the Irish win, they were dawned with the nickname “The Fighting Irish” by Detroit sportswriter E.A. Batchelor. Despite this, Michigan Head Coach Fielding Yost would remove the Fighting Irish from their schedule just before the 1910 meeting, claiming that former Michigan player, then Notre Dame head coach Frank Longman was going to play two ineligible players. Because of this, the Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry would not be played again for 32 years, and Yost even tried to convince teams in the Western Conference (now Big Ten) to not play the Irish. This boycott is the reason that the Irish never joined a conference and allowed them to start rivalries with schools such as USC and Army.
In 1942, the series was once again resumed, but this time it would not last as long. After dominating the Wolverines in 1943, 35-12, Michigan’s head coach at the time Fritz Crisler attempted a second boycott of Notre Dame. Despite the successful boycott in 1910, this one would fail because Michigan State and Purdue refused to drop the Irish from their schedule. The rivalry was picked back up once again in 1978 and was played regularly until the end of the 2014 season. Since then, the Irish and Wolverines have met twice with meetings scheduled in 2033 and 2034.
This is a rivalry that should be played every year. Every. Single. Year. It has the potential to be one of the top rivalries in all of college sports, and yet it continues to not be played. Now five years since their last meeting, we are still nine years away from the next, leaving the rivalry to not as mean as much to the next generation of fans.
While many more rivalries should be played more often, these five matchups are some that feel more important to many Irish fans across the country. From storied programs to genuine bad blood, a college football rivalry is more than just 60 minutes on the gridiron. Notre Dame is one of the predominant examples of that, and as college football continues to progress, the Irish are one of the few schools that still value their rivalries year in and year out.
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