Did Notre Dame Get a Raw Deal by Scheduling Clemson Series?

One of the biggest off-season stories regarding Notre Dame football this summer was the new deal it inked with Clemson. The two, storied programs will meet each year from 2027 through 2038 after a deal was signed this past May.

Speculation was that Notre Dame wanted the deal in part because of the uncertain future there is with USC. Will that series continue after this season or will it conclude? The answer to that remains to be seen, but you can't sit around and wait when it comes to college football.

And that's seemingly exactly what two-time national champion head coach Dabo Swinney has done with the Tigers program.

Clemson Falls Again Saturday, This Time to Syracuse

Clemson fell to 1-3 on the year Saturday as Syracuse walked into Death Valley as a 17.5-point underdog and moved the ball seemingly at will, beating the Tigers 34-21.

Clemson's spot as a national powerhouse has certainly taken a hit. This was the fourth-straight game against a Power Four team that Clemson lost, as its just 3-6 over its last nine such opponents.

The Tigers were a popular preseason pick to run away with the ACC and to threaten to win a national championship. Instead, we're not even at the end of September yet, and Clemson's College Football Playoff chances are shot. Furthermore, at 1-3, it going to a bowl game this year is anything but a guarantee.

Will Clemson's Downfall Hurt Notre Dame?

Clemson won national championships in both 2016 and 2018 bu,t has taken a step back in recent years. Will that have an impact on Notre Dame when the two become annual rivals for a dozen years, starting in 2027?

As a lifetime Notre Dame fan and observer, what Clemson is going through right now feels a lot like USC did after Pete Carroll bailed.

Dabo Swinney was vocal this week about what has been accomplished during his time at Clemson but its clear the Tigers have hit a wall. It hasn't seriously contended for a national championship since the Covid season of 2020, when it made the College Football Playoff as the No. 2 seed before falling to Ohio State.

If Clemson is indeed headed to a place of average instead of near elite, Notre Dame's schedule will certainly take a hit.

How many times in the last 15 years have we heard about how easy Notre Dame's schedule is? And how many of those years did USC fail to be a top 25 team, which used to be a given?

The fear is that Clemson turns into a name on Notre Dame's schedule but not an actual threat, and that's clearly not what the Fighting Irish were thinking when they signed the 12-year deal this past May.