Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman reacts against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Football: It's Not Just Who You Play, But When

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By John Kennedy | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 3:04 PM ET

A front-loaded slate awaits the Irish

Notre Dame's 2025 schedule is very interesting. Not just because of the teams involved, but more so when the Irish play those teams and the circumstances surrounding said contests. Much of this slate was set in place years ago. It was obvious that the schedule would be front-loaded with most of the perceived "toughest" games taking place early in the year.

Miami, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Boise State, and perhaps the last regular-season battle with USC all take place well before Halloween. There is a good chance that the results of this stretch of games will determine Notre Dame's playoff hopes, regardless of how the Irish fare on the back half of the slate.

Notre Dame has announced its 2025 football schedule: pic.twitter.com/UfqQO5wGwE
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) January 31, 2025

Timing is everything in life, and football

Notre Dame knew this schedule would be tough on the front end. That is no secret. But the story doesn't end here; it begins here. Not only will the Irish be thrust into action early against big brand-name teams, but they will be doing so with many unknowns.

Notre Dame's yet-to-be-named new starting QB will be making his first and second starts against Miami and Texas A&M. He will also be doing so behind an already injured and yet to be sorted out offensive line. Not to be left out, we must also reference the Notre Dame defense, a historically elite unit but one that will be run by a brand new DC, Chris Ash.

The games on the early portion of the schedule are no doubt challenging, but so too are these additional dynamics surrounding them, with so many new moving parts. The pressure is on. Notre Dame doesn't need to play perfectly in these games, just good enough to win, while all the moving new chess pieces get settled in.

There's never a dull moment in South Bend, and the start of 2025 will display that once again.

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This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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