Notre Dame Football to End 2024 Season with Iconic "Rockne Road Trip"

Notre Dame is a coast-to-coast brand, literally and figuratively

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates a turnover during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame's fitting end to the 2024 football schedule

After a very frustrating early season setback, Notre Dame has battled back and positioned itself for a prime College Football Playoff (CFP) spot. The only thing preventing the Irish from making the CFP field and likely hosting a round one game are big games with two of Notre Dame's most historical rivals.

Army and USC.

First up, a battle with an undefeated Army team in New York Stadium. This feels like the type of game Rockne himself would love to build up and be a part of. Most of America will be tuning into the game with hopes undefeated Army can ruin Notre Dame's CFP dreams.

Can the Irish hold the line and claim their ninth victory in a row?

May the Four Horseman ride again!

It's Notre Dame VS Army week!

And of course, in the immortal words of Grantland Rice:

“Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as Famine, Pestilence, Destruction and Death. These are only aliases. Their real… pic.twitter.com/WgTivs91mt

— Lisa Kelly #LoveTheeND 💗☘️🏈 (@4LeafCloverGirl) November 18, 2024

To live and die in LA

As the poet known as Tupac Shakur once said "To live and die in LA, it's the place to be, you've got to be there to know it, and everybody wants to see". Should Notre Dame win their battle of the Bronx, they'll head cross-country to face USC in Los Angeles to close out the year and lock in a playoff berth.

USC is an odd team to figure out in 2024. The Trojans have five losses, which is objectively horrific, but each loss has been by one score and USC had been in the lead in each of the games in the fourth quarter as well. Adding to the intrigue, USC's late quarterback switch from Miller Moss to Jayden Maiava.

I think it's a nod to Rockne that the Irish will conclude their playoff chase against the two teams, more than any other than have helped shape Notre Dame into the national brand that it's become.

The only thing left to do?

Win both games in Rock's honor.

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