Notre Dame Tops List of Best Upcoming Non-Conference Series

The Irish will play anyone, anytime, anywhere - they have to as an independent - and they have some huge series coming up.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) scores a touchdown while being chased by Indiana Hoosiers defensive back D'Angelo Ponds (5) and Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) during the first half of a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame continues to navigate the changing seas of college football

Lots of things have changed in college football lately. With the expansion of the conference and CFP portal, as well as the introduction of NIL, things have moved quickly. As an independent team, navigating all of these changes and filling out a competitive top-level schedule is a challenge, and one that the Irish have tackled head-on.

While many who don't respect the Irish are quick to point out, often inaccurately, that Notre Dame "doesn't play anybody," the upcoming series the Irish have set up paints a very different picture. According to On3, Notre Dame is involved in four of the top ten series coming up.

NEW: Top 10 Upcoming College Football Non-Conference Series via @PeteNakos_🗓️https://t.co/3dhoFAVjhC pic.twitter.com/KUwmG6Axbc

— On3 (@On3sports) May 13, 2025

Notre Dame is not shying away from big brand matchups in the CFP era

In the modern CFP era, Notre Dame, as a mostly independent and partly ACC team, could go out of its way to water down future schedules in an attempt to limit possible losses to brand-name top football schools by simply not scheduling them. This is not Notre Dame's chosen path. True to Irish history, Notre Dame will play anyone, anywhere, any time.

Notre Dame just finished a series with Ohio State, will be finishing one with Texas A&M in 2025, and just locked in a long-term 12-year series agreement with Clemson. On top of this, Notre Dame will also face off with the likes of Alabama, Michigan, Texas, and Florida.

Notre Dame is a big brand that always seeks out other big brands to battle with. This is how college football was meant to be, and it's great to see the Irish never shy away from a challenge from coast to coast.

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