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Gimme Five: How did the last five home openers go for Notre Dame?

IMG_7504by:Jack Soble•08/30/23•

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notre dame audric estime
Notre Dame sophomore running back Audric Estime rushed 10 times for 33 yards against Marshall. (Chad Weaver, Blue & Gold)

Notre Dame’s home opener is this week, and with it comes a chance to start a new winning streak. In 2022, the Irish lost their first game at Notre Dame Stadium in a stunning upset to Marshall, 26-21. 

It was the first time Notre Dame lost its home opener since 2011, when the Irish fell 23-20 to South Florida in Brian Kelly’s second season as head coach in South Bend. For some more perspective about how long ago that was: Notre Dame’s quarterback in that game was Tommy Rees. 

Ten home openers came and went before the Irish lost another one. They survived a close call in 2021 with a 32-29 win over Toledo, one week after Kelly awkwardly joked on national television that “maybe our entire team needs to be executed” for its performance in an overtime victory at Florida State. 

Against Toledo, Irish quarterback Jack Coan found tight end Michael Mayer with 1:09 to play in the fourth quarter to pull the Irish ahead for good. Mayer beat his defender over the middle and broke wide open, and Coan hit him over the middle in stride.

In the two years before that, the first Irish home games were not as close. Duke came into town in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, and then-junior running back Kyren Williams surpassed 200 yards from scrimmage to beat the Blue Devils by two touchdowns. New Mexico visited in 2019, and Irish fans went home happy with a 66-14 win. Kyle Hamilton, a true freshman making his Notre Dame Stadium debut at the time, returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown less than five minutes in. Notre Dame didn’t look back. 

On Sept. 1, 2018, Notre Dame hosted and defeated Michigan for what would be the final time — barring a College Football Playoff meeting — until 2033. The Irish defense showed out, holding the Wolverines to only 1.8 yards per carry (including sacks) throughout the night. 

Notre Dame begins its home slate against Tennessee State on Sept. 2, so the expectation is that the Irish will right the ship. They should be heavy favorites in 2024 as well, when barring a home game in Week 0, Notre Dame will host Northern Illinois on Sept. 7 for its home opener.

The Last Five Notre Dame Home Openers

Year      Opponent            Result

2022       Marshall               L, 26-21

2021       Toledo                 W, 32-29

2020       Duke                    W, 27-13

2019       New Mexico         W, 66-14

2018       Michigan              W, 24-17

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