Exploring the Possibility of a Notre Dame vs. Tennessee Home-and-Home Series

Tennessee just get left out to dry by Nebraska, opening up a pair of dates in coming years

Nov 5, 2005; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish #83 Jeff Samardzija outruns Tennessee Volunteers #24 Antwan Stewart after a long pass play in the third quarter. Irish beat the Volunteers 41-21. | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Notre Dame football has the base of its schedule set for 2026 and 2027 both but could news from the college football world change Fighting Irish plans?

Nebraska and Tennessee were scheduled to play a home-and-home series those two years, with 2026 being played in Lincoln while the 2027 game was to be played in Knoxville. Now instead, neither will take place.

Correction: Tennessee is not canceling this series. Nebraska did. We are very disappointed that they didn’t want to play these games, especially this close to 2026. https://t.co/uSz7kAXk94

— Danny White (@AD_DannyWhite) February 21, 2025

As you see above, Tennessee athletic director Danny White was quick to make it clear that Tennessee wasn't the one backing out. Instead it was Nebraska, who will now go the Curt Cignetti Indiana route and play Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio), and Northern Iowa in those years.

Clearly Nebraska won't be interested in adding Notre Dame to its schedule since its trying to make things are easy as possible, but what about Tennessee's sudden opening? The Volunteers have the sudden opening after all and unlike the Big Ten's nine, SEC teams currently play eight conference games.

Notre Dame's Future Schedules

Nov 6, 2004; Knoxville, TN, USA; Norte Dame Fighting Irish defense stops Tennessee Volunteers runningback #31 Gerald Riggs Jr. in the third quarter at Neyland Stadium. Fighting Irish beat the Vols 17-13. | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

The framework of Notre Dame's 2026 and 2027 schedules is made but there are still openings to be found.

2026 Notre Dame Football Schedule

09/05 - vs. Wisconsin (Green Bay, WI)

09/19 - Michigan State

09/26 - at Purdue

10/03 - at North Carolina

10/31 - vs Navy (Foxborough, MA)

11/28 - at USC

TBA - Miami (FL)

TBA - Syracuse

TBA - SMU

TBA - at Florida State

It's unlikely Notre Dame would want to open with Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Michigan State in three consecutive weekends but perhaps a later season date could work like it has in this series before.

2027 Notre Dame Football Schedule

09/04 - Purdue

09/18 - at Michigan State

10/02 - Georgia Tech

11/06 - Virginia Tech

11/13 - at Clemson

11/20 - Navy

TBA - at Duke

TBA - at Wake Forest

Notre Dame is more open in 2027, especially with the USC series renewal not yet being announced. If the USC rumblings of moving on from Notre Dame playout to be true, Tennessee is about as good of ask to replace it with on such short notice seeing as these games are usually scheduled out decades in advance.

Tennessee certainly moves the meter as the Volunteers are fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance and are pointed in the right direction under Josh Heupel.

Notre Dame vs. Tennessee All-Time Results

I'll be honest, the main reason the idea came to me is because of the past between Notre Dame and Tennessee. Sure, it's not as deep as Notre Dame and Penn State from roughly the same era, but the Fighting Irish and Volunteers have played some classics over the years and I know I'm not alone in being more than OK than seeing this renewed.

Notre Dame and Tennessee have met eight times all-time, playing to a 4-4 draw.

Nov 10, 1990; Knoxville, TN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quaterback Rick Mirer (3) in action against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

1978: Notre Dame 31, Tennessee 14 (South Bend)
1979: Tennessee 40, Notre Dame 18 (Knoxville)
1990: Notre Dame 34, Tennessee 29 (Knoxville)
1991: Tennessee 35, Notre Dame 34 (South Bend)
1999: Tennessee 38, Notre Dame 14 (Knoxville)
2001: Tennessee 28, Notre Dame 18 (South Bend)
2004: Notre Dame 17, Tennessee 13 (Knoxville)
2005: Notre Dame 41, Tennessee 21 (South Bend)

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Take:

I wouldn't put money on it happening but the idea is at least intriguing. The more anyone from USC speaks, the more concerned I get about the future of Notre Dame's rivalry game with them. If replacing USC on the schedule regularly has to become a thing then the Tennessee brand is a very strong one to do it with if even just temporarily.

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