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Notre Dame football: Way too early 2021 schedule preview

By Daniel Morrison

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 19: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish run onto the field before the ACC Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Bank of America Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 19: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish run onto the field before the ACC Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Bank of America Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame won’t have Ian Book to rely on against Virginia Tech next season. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football 2021 schedule: Weeks 4-6

Wisconsin

  • Last Meeting: 1964, 31-7 Notre Dame Wins
  • Notre Dame Leads All-Time Series 8-6-2

This was going to be one of the marquee games of 2020, which would have taken place at Lambeau Field. That didn’t work out the way that everyone had hoped, but we will get the game in 2021 at Soldier Field.

Graham Mertz offers hope that Wisconsin can finally add an elite quarterback, while both team’s penchant for running the ball might make for a fast moving clock. This game will likely be looked at as an early-season measuring stick for 2021 Irish.

Cincinnati

  • Last Meeting: 1900, 58-0 Notre Dame Wins
  • Notre Dame Leads All-Time Series 1-0

This game is both intriguing and terrifying for Notre Dame fans, as it’s interesting because of Brian Kelly’s personal history at the school, a place where he is in the Hall of Fame. This game is terrifying because Cincinnati is good, like a legitimate top-10 team in college football good.

They’re also desperate to prove that they deserve a spot in the College Football Playoff, and a win over Notre Dame would go a long way to proving that. They like to play man coverage on defense and win the line of scrimmage, while the offense is a methodical RPO game, led by a soon to be a four-year starter in Desmond Ridder.

Virginia Tech

  • Last Meeting 2019, 21-20 Notre Dame Wins
  • Notre Dame Leads All-Time Series 2-1

The last time the Irish saw Virginia Tech, they were coming off one of, if not the worst loss in the Brian Kelly era. They were struggling with the Hokies too, needing heroics out of Ian Book to win it. They should hold up a bit better in 2021, with Hokies coach Justin Fuente sitting on a burning hot seat. Still, Virginia Tech has been so wildly inconsistent under Fuente that it makes you wonder which version of the Hokies Notre Dame will end up facing.

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