Notre Dame in four of the top 10 upcoming nonconference series, per On3’s Pete Nakos

On3’s Pete Nakos ranked the top 10 upcoming nonconference matchups in college football. As a program without a league should, Notre Dame dominated the list.

In addition to its 12-year annual partnership with Clemson set to start in 2027, the Irish placed matchups at Nos. 2, 5, 8 and 9 on Nakos’ list. Nakos put Alabama vs. Ohio State at No. 1, just above the Fighting Irish and Michigan.

Here are Notre Dame’s top matchups to look forward to, from a national perspective.

2. Notre Dame vs. Michigan

Next meetings: 2033, 2034

Nakos’ take: “Michigan and Notre Dame have met 44 times in the schools’ history. But the Fighting Irish and Wolverines meeting rekindles a rivalry dating back to 1887, when Michigan won 8-0 in South Bend. The Wolverines hold the all-time series record at 25-17-1. The last meeting came in October 2019, when No. 19 Michigan routed No. 8 Notre Dame 45-14. The teams are scheduled to meet again in 2033 and 2034 following a 14-year break. The series has seen a meeting between No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Michigan in 1989, with Rocket Ismael returning two kick returns for touchdown. The Fighting Irish threw just two passes in the win.”

Blue & Gold’s take: Per an extremely unscientific surveying of Lou Somogyi Board activity, Michigan is probably the team Fighting Irish fans hate the most. The more of that kind of hatred college football has on the field, the better. It’s a shame it has to wait until 2033.

5. Florida vs. Fighting Irish

Next meetings: 2031, 2032

Nakos’ take: “As Notre Dame continues to build out its future nonconference schedule, the Fighting Irish are expanding into the SEC. Florida and Notre Dame have only faced each other one before, a 1992 Sugar Bowl meeting with the No. 18 Fighting Irish beating the No. 3 Gators 39-28. Notre Dame will open the series by hosting the Gators for a matchup on Nov. 15, 2031. The next season, the Irish will visit The Swamp on Sept. 11, 2032.”

Blue & Gold’s take: Florida tends to run extremely hot and cold, so this could either the game of the year or a game the Irish can’t afford to lose. The Swamp, however, is one of college football’s best game day atmospheres.

8. Notre Dame vs. Texas

Next meetings: 2028, 2029

Nakos’ take: “Notre Dame will host Texas on Sept. 9, 2028, and the Irish will visit Austin on Sept. 22, 2029. The Fighting Irish hold a 9-3 all-time record against Texas, with the most recent meeting in 2016. Texas escaped with a 50-47 double overtime win in Austin. In the 12 previous matchups between the two programs, Notre Dame has been ranked in nine of the games, and both teams have been ranked in seven of the meetings. The first game between the teams came in 1913 at Texas, a 30-7 Notre Dame win. The Fighting Irish and Longhorns have combined for 15 claimed national championships.”

Blue & Gold’s take: Texas is back, and if the Longhorns remain that way until 2028-29, this series is a great thing for the Fighting Irish and college football as a whole. Two of the largest fanbases in the sport with extremely different geographical backgrounds makes for a fascinating matchup.

9. Alabama vs. Fighting Irish

Nakos’ take: “The last two times Alabama and Notre Dame have met, both matchups came in the postseason. Alabama beat Notre Dame at the Rose Bowl in the 2021 College Football Playoff semifinal, a 31-14 win. Before that, the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish met in the 2013 BCS national championship game, with Alabama dominating in a 42-14 win.

“Both programs have new head coaches since the home-and-home was set. Marcus Freeman is coming of a 2024 season where he led Notre Dame to a national title berth, while Kalen DeBoer is looking to rebound after an up-and-down first year at Alabama. The series was originally scheduled to begin with Notre Dame hosting Alabama at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., on Sept. 2, 2028 and conclude with the Crimson Tide hosting the Fighting Irish at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Sept. 1, 2029. Notre Dame will host Alabama in South Bend on Sept. 1, 2029, and will travel to face the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa the following season on Sept. 14, 2030. The Fighting Irish lead the series between the two programs 5-3.”

Blue & Gold’s take: As Nakos wrote, this is still projected to be a matchup between two up-and-coming coaches who could conceivably be the two best head coaches in college football by the time the series rolls along. While building on Nick Saban‘s tenure without any kind of drop-off is next to impossible, Alabama is still Alabama.