The Notre Dame football team is opening fall camp next week, and when the Irish take the field, there are all sorts of stories to be followed, including just who might be the "archvillain" for Marcus Freeman and Co.
The ESPN staff recently tried to figure out who and what the game that's circled, the player fans love to hate, or the rival coach who seems to especially delight in destroying a team's season. They did so for every team that is in their preseason Top 25, and perhaps the biggest surprise is that Lincoln Riley and/or USC doesn't make the cut here.
Why ESPN calls Miami the archvillain on Notre Dame’s 2025 slate
Instead, the archvillain for the Notre Dame football season this year is none other than the Miami Hurricanes, according to Adam Rittenberg. Considering this is the first meeting between the two teams in quite a while, and some younger fans might not even know there was once a bitter rivalry, this is an interesting choice that might surprise some.
"No Notre Dame players were alive for the 1988 clash with Miami, and Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman was only 2 years old," Rittengerg wrote. "But longtime Domers will always view the U as a true villain, and new Miami quarterback Carson Beck, the transfer from Georgia, sparks a range of reactions. Notre Dame scored a signature win in the CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl against a Georgia squad that had lost Beck to injury."
"When healthy, Beck is talented enough to villainize a Notre Dame defense replacing standouts Xavier Watts, Jack Kiser, Rylie Mills and others and appearing in its first game under new coordinator Chris Ash. Early season games are one of the only knocks against Freeman, who has dropped at least one September game in each of his three seasons as Irish coach. Notre Dame needs a strong start with its two most talented opponents -- Miami and Texas A&M -- leading off the schedule."
For what it's worth, it feels like there hasn't been enough made about this game and that it's on an unusual day won't help. This Notre Dame football game needs more hype, but for those who remember the Catholics vs. Convicts days, ESPN was spot on here.