There's no rest when it comes to college football and this is something Marcus Freeman knows all about. Come next season, Notre Dame is not only fighting for a trip to the College Football Playoff, but this team has what it takes to compete for a CFP title too.
Notre Dame loses 4-star commit who is likely SEC-bound
And already, the Irish are hard at work in the weight room in prep for Week 1 to get here. Well, we also know how things are going to look for the rest of the season. In a pleasant surprise, Notre Dame's full 2026 schedule was posted and we see a lot of wins on the way for Freeman and Co.
The 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Notre Dame Football schedule is here ☘️
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) January 23, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/2hJkcm0uz4#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/vF2fjKnJTK
Notre Dame has an incredibly favorable 2026 football schedule on the way
We don't want to get too ahead of ourselves, but this has either a 10-win or 11-win season written all over it, right? Obviously, the main matchup that people are immediately going to focus on is the Nov. 7 dance with Miami in a rematch of epic proportions.
Miami was able to get the job done in Coral Gables in the 2025 season-opener, which in the long run kept Notre Dame out of the College Football Playoff despite so much conversation and controversy. The Hurricanes snuck into the CFP and nearly won it all - Miami lost to Indiana in the title game.
So, yes, Notre Dame is going to have some revenge on its mind for that showdown. Elsewhere, Week 1 against Wisconsin is also going to be a ton of fun, as Lambeau Field will be packed for that contest in Green Bay. Luke Fickell's seat is already hot, but a loss to ND to open the season will only make things worse for him.
After playing for the CFP title during the 2024 season, the 2025 campaign was a bit of a setback for the Irish. People will still argue that Notre Dame shouldn't have been snubbed, but it's time to forget about that and move on to 2026. Things are laid out for Freeman to take advantage of a favorable schedule and have this team in a spot to potentially win it all. Anything less than that will feel like a major disappointment.