Why Scheduling Notre Dame Still Makes Sense Despite Florida's Decision

Scheduling news regarding Notre Dame came down on Tuesday, as Florida officially backed out of its home-and-home deal with the Fighting Irish, which was set to be played in 2031 and 2032.

Notre Dame will now instead host Washington in one of those years, and travel to Seattle to take on the Huskies in 2034.

Florida's move has spurred some quick reaction online, leaving some to wonder why anyone would ever schedule Notre Dame going forward - even in the world of a 24-team playoff.

Going forward, seriously, why would ANY Power 4 program - outside of the ACC deal, of course - schedule Notre Dame (or anyone amazing)? https://t.co/pZwpDOxW3b
— Pete Fiutak (@PeteFiutak) November 10, 2026

Why Scheduling Notre Dame Makes Complete Sense

If you want to know the pluses that come with scheduling Notre Dame, you have to look no further than at a couple of programs to beat the Fighting Irish in recent years.

BYU sits with two-losses as we enter mid-November, but is very much alive in the College Football Playoff conversation.

How does it still have any chance of making the Playoff, you ask?

Because it played and beat Notre Dame earlier this season.

That win over Notre Dame carries far more weight for BYU than a win over a middle-tier Power Four program would.

A marquee win over Notre Dame is the only reason BYU is in the No. 10 spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

Do an exercise and replace Notre Dame with a win over the 30th-best or so Power Four team, and what do you have?

A team that certainly wouldn't have a marquee win and one that would be on the outside looking in at the 12-team field, unlike it is now.

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Miami Only Made Playoff Because of Playing Notre Dame Last Year

Now do the same exercise you just did with BYU, but instead with Miami last season.

Take away Miami's Week 1 victory over Notre Dame and replace it with a perfectly average Power Four opponent.

Would two-loss Miami have gotten in the College Football Playoff at 10-2, with losses to what wound up being unranked Louisville and SMU?

The answer is a clear-cut no.

Notre Dame would have had the final spot in the playoff, but instead, by playing Notre Dame and taking care of business, Miami made the field.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thought

Notre Dame needs to join a conference. The quality of games they can get is going to continue to decline, I think, in a nine conference game era. Sure, they will often make the 24 team playoff, but that’s in playoff TV deal. What value does Notre Dame and 12 mediocre games bring? https://t.co/BnmgMaTVHn
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 10, 2026

Don't let the propaganda out there fool you into thinking Notre Dame is going to have any trouble scheduling games going forward.

Sure, Florida would rather play Eastern Agriculture State than Notre Dame, and Indiana can't wait to fight its next tomato can, but the likes of Texas, Alabama, and Michigan remain on upcoming schedules while plenty of Big Ten teams are suddenly lining up for home-and-homes with the Irish as well.

Then again, I took the bait and wrote about it so maybe I'm part of the problem.

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