Notre Dame Fighting Irish Would Like Annual Game Against Clemson Tigers

It has been a busy offseason for the Clemson Tigers, with the program seeking to build on what was a successful campaign in 2024.

This past year, the Tigers were able to bounce back nicely from a down showing in 2023. Clemson won 10 games, an ACC title, and made the College Football Playoff.

With most of their team returning in 2025, the future is looking bright for the program.

Having quarterback Cade Klubnik back will be huge for the team. He will be entering his final year as a favorite to win the Heisman and will be leading what could be one of the best offenses in the country.

As the Tigers continue their busy offseason of preparation, they will be hoping to be a title contender.

Recently, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua spoke about setting up an annual matchup between the Fighting Irish and Clemson.

Here’s what he had to say to reporters.

"When we play a team like Clemson, I think that has become such a great rivalry in such a short amount of time," he said. "I would tell you that's the type of game I'd love to play every year."

A contest between Clemson and Notre Dame on an annual basis would be a top matchup to watch virtually every year.

The Fighting Irish are having an excellent season and have their eyes set on winning the national championship against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Head coach Marcus Freeman has really turned around the program.

With Notre Dame having the flexibility to play ACC teams as an Independent, setting up a marquee matchup with the Tigers makes a lot of sense. Both teams are generally going to be in the Top-25, and could be statement wins for either program.

Since 2015, the two teams have played six times against each other, with Clemson having an edge in those games with four wins.

For Notre Dame, finding matchups that can help provide them with quality wins is always going to be important for the program since they aren’t in a traditional conference.

Clemson also has shown that they aren’t afraid to play tough games outside their conference. This season they faced off against the Georgia Bulldogs to start the year. Even though they didn’t win that game, it certainly helped prepare them for the season.

Seeing an annual meeting and establishing a rivalry between the Fighting Irish and the Tigers would be very exciting and likely good for both programs and the sport as a whole.