Notre Dame Football Schedule 2026 Revealed: Full Slate, Marquee Games & How to Watch

Notre Dame’s 2026 football slate is beginning to crystallize, and it already looks like one of the most compelling independent schedules in the nation. With marquee games at iconic venues, the addition of a brand-new trip to Provo, and a September–October gauntlet loaded with regional and historic rivals, the Fighting Irish have built a schedule that should keep them squarely in the College Football Playoff conversation from Week 1. Key confirmed opponents and projected dates • Sept. 5 – vs Wisconsin (Lambeau Field, Green Bay) – A neutral-site Big Ten showdown that reprises the 2021 Chicago classic and opens the national spotlight immediately for Marcus Freeman’s squad. • Sept. 12 – Rice – The first of six expected home games offers a tune-up before the meat of the schedule. • Sept. 19 – Michigan State – The Spartans last visited South Bend in 2017; the 2026 meeting renews a century-old rivalry. • Sept. 26 – at Purdue – A short road trip down US-31 against a familiar foe that upset the Irish in West Lafayette back in 2007. • Oct. 3 – at North Carolina – Drake Maye’s successor will test ND’s secondary in Chapel Hill. • Oct. 17 – at BYU – Newly announced home-and-home opener that replaces the lapsed USC series and sends Notre Dame to altitude for the first time since 2022’s Las Vegas Shamrock clash. • Oct. 31 – Navy (M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore) – The 100-year-old rivalry returns to the Mid-Atlantic on Halloween. • Nov. 7 – Miami (FL) – The “Catholics vs. Convicts” storyline comes back to South Bend for only the second time since 2010. • Nov. 14 – Boston College – Senior Day against the Eagles closes the home slate and, barring future tweaks, leaves one open date for an additional Power-Five opponent or an FBS independent. Why the BYU addition matters Notre Dame’s century-long series with USC is on pause after 2025, but locking in BYU keeps a Western trip on the calendar, maintains the program’s national recruiting footprint, and supplies a potential résumé-boosting opponent from the Big 12. The Irish and Cougars haven’t met in Provo since 2004, and Notre Dame’s 7-2 all-time series lead will be anything but safe under the Wasatch Mountains. The mid-October date also balances a front-loaded September by spacing out high-profile games the rest of the season. Strength of schedule outlook • Seven opponents finished 2025 with eight or more wins. • Three games (Wisconsin, Michigan State, Miami) could feature preseason Top-15 teams, providing multiple CFP-quality benchmarks. • Two neutral-site showcases (Wisconsin in Green Bay; Navy in Baltimore) maximize prime television windows and recruit-heavy markets. Travel and rest dynamics The Irish leave the Eastern/Central time zones only once (BYU), and five of their final seven contests are east of the Mississippi, limiting jet lag heading into November. A probable late-season open week after Navy offers recovery time before the Miami-Boston College homestretch. Early storylines to watch 1. Quarterback succession: Can incoming blue-chip CJ Carr seize the starting role and survive Wisconsin’s aggressive front in Week 1? 2. Defensive overhaul: Al Golden’s unit faces five returning starting quarterbacks in the first six weeks. 3. Playoff positioning: A 4-0 September would catapult Notre Dame inside the Top 5 before the schedule’s only mountain-time kickoff. Bottom line With Lambeau mystique, a fresh BYU rivalry, and traditional clashes against Michigan State, Purdue, and Navy, the 2026 Notre Dame football schedule is tailor-made for television ratings—and for a CFP résumé that could eclipse 2020’s unbeaten regular season. Ticket demand is already spiking for Green Bay and Provo, and if the Irish navigate September unscathed, October 17 in LaVell Edwards Stadium might become the most consequential non-conference game of the year.