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Newsstand: Two new bowl game projections featuring Notre Dame released this week

Kyle Kellyby:Kyle Kelly•11/10/23•

ByKyleKelly

freeman (65)
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. (Photo by Chad Weaver)

While a troubling 31-23 loss to Clemson might have erased No. 20 Notre Dame’s New Year’s Six bowl aspirations, the Fighting Irish punched their ticket for bowl eligibility two games ago. They defeated Southern California, 48-20, for their sixth win of the season on Oct. 14.

Meanwhile, other programs across the country have also secured bowl eligibility. So, the 2023 college football bowl season is starting to take shape. 

Earlier this week, USA Today Sports and The Athletic both released their latest bowl projections going into Week 11. Both outlets predicted Notre Dame would face No. 13 Tennessee in the ReliaQuest Bowl. 

The Irish have never played in the ReliaQuest Bowl, formerly known as the Outback Bowl (1996-2022) and the Hall of Fame Bowl (1986-95). The game takes place on Jan. 1 at Noon EST on ESPN2.  

Notre Dame is 4-4 all-time against Tennessee. The Irish last faced the Volunteers at Notre Dame Stadium in 2005. They won that game 41-21. Tennessee is 7-2 in 2023. 

Last year, Notre Dame took down South Carolina 45-38 in the 2022 Gator Bowl, held at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. It marked Marcus Freeman’s first bowl game victory as Irish head coach. 

Freeman is 16-8 in his two seasons as Notre Dame’s head coach. He lost his first-ever game in the 2021 season Fiesta Bowl to Oklahoma State, 37-35.

Notre Dame Posts of the Day

Freeman and director of recruiting Chad Bowden stopped by Salinas (Calif.) Palma on Thursday. Palma is the home of Notre Dame 2024 class wide receiver commit Logan Saldate.

Irish men’s basketball freshman Markus Burton made an impressive collegiate debut Monday.

Veterans Day takes place on Nov. 11.

Notre Dame Quote of the Day

“We actually had a recruit come in early in my time here who, on his visit to the stadium, said, ‘You guys can’t be very serious about football because there’s no video board.’”

— Irish director of athletics Jack Swarbrick on installing the video board at Notre Dame Stadium during his tenure.

Notre Dame Headlines of the Day

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