Notre Dame football vs. Tennessee State: Irish to face FCS, HBCU opponent for first time
The 2023 Notre Dame football schedule has some new flavor.
The Fighting Irish announced they will host the Tennessee State Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 2, 2023 on NBC. For the first time ever, Notre Dame is scheduled to face an FCS and/or HBCU program. Notre Dame director of athletics Jack Swarbrick said he’s honored to have played a part in putting two “great academic institutions that are steeped in tradition” on the same historic field.
“I’m thrilled we’re able to bring the Tigers and the Irish together for a weekend that will feature programs with over 20 combined national titles, the Aristocrat of Bands and the Band of the Fighting Irish,” Swarbrick said in a statement.
The start of the 2023 season will certainly be unique for Notre Dame. The Irish begin the year against Navy on Aug. 26 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. They’ll get a week off to recover from the trip overseas before hosting Tennessee State.
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The Tigers are led by College Football Hall of Fame running back Eddie George, who ran for 3,768 yards and 44 touchdowns at Ohio State in the 1990s. George won the Heisman Trophy after going for 1,927 yards on the ground and 24 touchdowns as a senior in 1995.
George rushed for at least 1,000 rushing yards in seven of his nine NFL seasons. He retired as a Dallas Cowboy in 2004 and did not enter the coaching ranks until taking the helm at Tennessee State in 2021. The Tigers went 5-6 in the first year under his guidance.
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“We are setting the foundation for long-term success under Coach George’s leadership,” Tennessee State director of athletics Mikki Allen said. “The goal is that TSU will be a destination program for the next generation of student-athletes to come.”
Tennessee State has claimed 12 Black College National Championships. The Tigers, though, have only qualified for the FCS playoffs once since the turn of the century. They have four winning seasons since 2010.
There will be a joint press conference in South Bend to formally announce Tennessee State vs. Notre Dame this Wednesday, April 6, at 3:30 p.m. ET. Swarbrick, Allen, George and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman will all participate.
All of Notre Dame’s opponents for the 2023 are set. The Irish are just waiting to finalize some dates. Here’s an early look at the slate.
2023 Notre Dame football schedule
Aug. 26: Navy*
Sept. 2: Tennessee State
Sept. 16: Central Michigan
Sept. 23: Ohio State
Oct. 14: USC
Oct. 28: Wake Forest
Nov. 4: at Clemson
Nov. 25: at Stanford
TBA: at Duke
TBA: at Louisville
TBA: at NC State
TBA: Pitt
*Played at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland
