The 2018 Notre Dame football schedule offers Irish fans plenty of options for interesting road trips. From Notre Dame’s first trip to Blacksburg (Virginia Tech) to a November weekend in San Diego (Navy) to a trip to NYC and Yankee Stadium (Syracuse) the options are there. Notre Dame’s future schedules give Irish fans even more options for fun and interesting road trips so start planning now.
For the sake of this post, we limited the games to schedules from the next five years otherwise this could have turned into a novel with trips to Texas A&M and Alabama well into the future.
2019 at Georgia – September 21
Will Notre Dame fans turn Sanford Stadium into a sea of green the way Bulldog fans took over Notre Dame Stadium in 2017? Probably not. Not that Irish fans won’t travel to Athens, but the ones who do likely will be wearing a mix of blue, green, gold, grey, white, and every other color t-shirt that Notre Dame sells. That said, this is a road trip next year that Notre Dame fans shouldn’t miss. Who knows if or when Notre Dame and Georgia will ever have a home and home again. This could be the last time Notre Dame fans have to take in a game in Athens.
With the improvement that Kirby Smart made in his second year at Georgia and the recruiting machine he has set up already, this game will be easily the toughest on the 2019 schedule. It’ll also be the toughest ticket to get. Start planning now if you want to see the Irish in Athens for the first time in history.
2019 at Michigan – October 26
This will be Notre Dame’s first game in Ann Arbor since the 2013 prime time loss. Hopefully it will be time for a little bit of payback for the Irish. Notre Dame hasn’t won in Michigan Stadium since 2005. In fact, that was Notre Dame’s only win in Michigan Stadium since 1994. One win in 25 years in Michigan’s house isn’t enough and the Irish are 1-7 there since 1994.
Michigan returns to Notre Dame Stadium this Labor Day weekend for the first time since the Irish shut out the Wolverines four years ago for one of the biggest home games of the year. Next to Georgia, this game could be the second biggest away game of 2019.
2020 at Wisconsin (Lambeau Field) – October 3
This is one that has been circled on my calendar since it was originally announced last year. Notre Dame v. Wisconsin in Lambeau Field is going to be one of the biggest spectacles of the 2020 college football season. The two historic programs have not faced off against each other since 1964 despite their close proximity and Notre Dame’s history with the Big 10.
The matchup itself is worth a trip up north, but the venue is what makes this one a can’t miss trip for Notre Dame fans. Lambeau Field is one of the truly historic venues in all of sports. Seeing the Irish play in a field named for one of its most famous alum – Curly Lambeau – is also something that should have every Irish fan planning on being in Green Bay October 3, 2020.
2021 at Florida State (Labor Day Weekend)
The 2021 schedule really lacks a unique road game like Wisconsin in Lambeau or Athens, but the season opener against Florida State will have plenty of intrigue. This is the kind of Labor Day weekend game that could easily be moved into the Sunday night slot like the 2016 Texas game in Austin.
It will have been seven years since Notre Dame was robbed of a thrilling victory by the refs in Florida State in 2014. It will also have been nearly 20 years since Notre Dame’s last win over Florida State (2002). The Irish will be long overdue for a win against the Seminoles by then and a trip to Florida over Labor Day weekend to close out the summer and kick off the season is a pretty good trip for Notre Dame fans.
2022 at Ohio State – September 3
Notre Dame makes it first trip to Columbus since 1995 in 2022 to take on Ohio State. The Irish have only visited Ohio State twice in their history and have not won in The Horseshoe since 1935. Lou Holtz took the Irish into Columbus in 1995 and ran into the Bobby Hoying, Terry Glenn, Eddie George offensive juggernaut and lost 45-26. A year later the Buckeyes came to Notre Dame and knocked off the Irish again 29-16. Since then, the two have played in two Fiesta Bowls with Ohio State winning both (2005 and 2015 seasons).
Despite a sparse number of showdowns in their respective histories, the Notre Dame and Ohio State rivalry is interesting given both’s school mutual rival Michigan.
This is another Labor Day weekend tilt that could easily end up being played on Sunday night in prime time because it will be, hands down one of the biggest games of the college football season. Notre Dame will be looking for their first win overall against the Buckeyes since 1936 when this one takes place.
2023 at Clemson – November 11
Notre Dame will get their first chance at payback for that 2015 thrilling loss to Clemson in Death Valley in 2020 in Notre Dame Stadium, but will have to wait three more years after that for their first potential win on the road against Clemson. Even in the pouring rain, the 2015 road trip to Clemson was one of my favorite road games I’ve been on to see the Irish. That stadium is electric and something worth experiencing for all Notre Dame fans.
Notre Dame also plays Ohio State and USC at home and Stanford on the road in 2023 which could make for a brutal schedule depending on how each of those programs evolve over the next five years. If Notre Dame were to enter this game still in the playoff discussion, it would be another ESPN Gameday worthy game like 2015’s contest.
Notre Dame’s future schedules don’t lack interesting road games for Notre Dame fans over the next few years with some truly once in a lifetime type trips possible. Start planning (and saving) now.
Someday, you’ll go with Brasso can begging for job to polish up the plaque in front of BK’s statue. Don’t worry no one will remember you.
Well, schools sell honors like building names all the time.
Kelly makes enough that he might cough up some loose change and get himself one.
But he can polish it himself.
Hey Dave, how about you and I audition to take the place of Alan and Don. Don’t think you’d last very long to many bleep bleep bleeps.
I just want someone else as ND coach.
You audition, and bleep yourself.
NAME WHO,S COMMING GENIUS!! You audition DOPEY just tell them ” I DONT WATCH THE GAMES BUT I WANT THE COACH FIRED”!!!! Install that SIMPLISTIC VELOSITY YOU TOLD US ABOUT!! 10 wins 2 of the last 3 years, top 10 recruiting class in 2018, pre-season picked #7 another top 10 possibly 5 recruiting class for 2019!! ALL being done with the toughest ACADEMIC STANDARDS IN POWER 5 SCHOOLS!! And lil DAVEY SAYS ” FIRE THE COACH!!
ARRRGGGHHHHHHHH !!!!!!
9.1.1.
Dave, go get a life, watch a FIFA game, somebody like Uraguay vs. Saudi Arabia, it may do you some good
…says the smug, self-appointed censor and aspiring man-ostrich.
Thanks for your stupidity again dumbass davey! So u finally admit u still watch the games dopey!! Always something stupid from your SIMPLISTIC VELOCITY TO HAVING KELLY FIRED EVERY WEEK!! BTW dopey just because KELLY doesn’t answer your letters asking to b the manager of the team doesn’t mean you have to pout on this site every week!! BTW who do we fear dopey? ND FEARS NO ONE LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE EVERY YEAR!! You are such a dumbass!! Keep holding your breath for KELLY to b fired.
Keep renewing your anti-depressants while he stays. But cut back on whatever else you’re on…seriously.
Thank you for the medical advice Dr. David. But I’ll stay on my entire prescribed regimen… 8 prescribed pills each morning and 6 each evening…seriously.
BGC ’77 ’82
A pill salad a day, and you still spend your Fall Saturdays watching this?
Jeez Louise, man.
I’m in great health, but I value my time more, and I love great college football more, than to intentionally aggravate myself.
ESPN article lists the most important games for each Top 25 team.
For ND, it’s Virginia Tech in October. The rationale given? VT fans are wild, and Brian Kelly has acknowledged that they didn’t handle Miami’s crowd in that blow-out last year.
(Hey Brian! I’ll never….ever…..forget the look of utter shock on your face…genuine fear….in High-Def on ABC…..entering Clemson in the rain.)
So for those fixated on ‘scheduling’ in the sense of tough opponents…it isn’t that at all. ND’s ‘Kelly Kryptonite’ is intimidation by boisterous opposing fans.
Championship mettle, alright.
(BTW…..ESPN has at least as much credibility as the anonymous, drooling fools on this board. So don’t even start with that mindless chant.)
David,
It is Bud Foster and the distinct possibility of a low scoring defensive struggle that makes @VT dangerous. I have predicted all wins at home, but a split of @VT and @USC…win one, lose one…for an 11-1 record. But @VT is one of the two most dangerous games for 2018.
BGC ’77 ’82
Tell ESPN. It’s their article.
And FYI, anyone playing ND is “dangerous “. Not one team fears playing ND anymore. No one.
Putting aside the scheduling pros/cons — a trip to San Diego for Irish playing Navy Oct. 27th 2018 is going to be a fun time. I would also put ND versus Louisville on good time September 2nd 2019–as is ND versus Georgia in Athens 2019. I’m in for Irish /Navy game this October 2018. Looking to attend Irish versus Louisville and ND versus Georgia in 2019. BGC mentioned Lambeau Field —I must agree , first thing that came to mind was the weather — 15 degrees above zero when Hall of Fame Packer Bart Starr did a QB sneak across goal line to win an NFL Championship up in the frigid temps of Wisconsin. It was a long , long time ago–for you young’ins to remember.
I agree 100% about all of what you wrote Southside…though I won’t be going to San Diego, nor will I be going to Georgia…both trips would be prohibitively expensive for a retired teacher, and even though I’d like to see the hedges, I have no interest at all in San Diego. Opening in Louisville will probably be much like opening in Austin against Texas was. I’ll go. The temperature at Lambeau won’t be like those January NFL games were because we are going there early in October. I watched one of those ancient, pre-superbowl NFL games at the Frick’s house! For some reason, the Fricks were avid Dallas fans. Everyone else in South Bend loved the Packers…(once the Bears were dead).
BGC ’77 ’82
Southside, I know you won’t be selling your ticket to Navy retired out there…so I hope you have a great time in San Diego. You, like me, probably never scalped a ticket in your life. Also, don’t worry about ancient NFL playoff games (and championships): Lambeau field will not have atrocious weather early in October. I’ll go to that myself. And the opening at Louisville will have an atmosphere similar to the Texas at Austin opener in 2016. I’ll go to that too. But Georgia will be too rich for my blood, and San Diego is too far for me. I always preferred Northern California anyway. There are some great games scheduled in the future (as always) and talking about future schedules is as much fun now as it was when Moose was the AD!
BGC ’77 ’82
Notre Dame vs. Navy (San Diego) is in October, not November.
Hey, an idea for road trip for Dave. Let’s send Him to North Korea, one way trip. He’ll really hit it off with Kim Jung Um.
Here;s an idea for you: Grow up, decide what to read and not by yourself like a big boy, and deal with it.
Next year’s road schedule is brutal (2019). It does not blend well with national championship hopes. That is why this was the year to go for it (2018). We should have done everything we could have to schedule for an NC championship run this year…including Syracuse at home and NAVY trades us a home game in ND stadium in 2018 for a game at San Diego Naval Base in 2019 (since 2019 is already a horror show on the road, what difference would it make)?
On the positive side, I’ve been to a lot of great venues (you mentioned Ohio State, Michigan and Texas A&M for example…been there, done that)…but I’ve never been to Lambeau Field. Now that is what I’d call great “Shamrock Series” scheduling. And it’s early in October so weather won’t be a factor; exhaustion won’t either! Nice.
BGC ’77 ’82
Analyzing the schedules. Fearing the schedules. Complaining about the schedules.
ND football as an endeavor of excellence.
Tsk tsk tsk. .
I agree, David. Everyone STOP COMPLAINING (and deceiving yourself calling it “analyzing”s) AND PLAY THE DAMN GAMES!
Hurls,
I started reading future schedules (and analyzing them, as you put it) in the Era of Ara…maybe before you were born! We used to wait patiently for the “5 year list” to be released each summer. It was fun then, and despite David’s best efforts, it’s fun now! What do you guys have against fun?
As for complaining…I never “complained” about any of it, until the disastrous Hoosier Dome fiasco was suddenly announced. Then I “complained” to ND officials…and I wasn’t alone, if I remember correctly. Some of the top members of the now defunct ND QB Club also “complained” directly to the AD and ticket manager. The ticket office’s fantasy response was this: “Don’t worry, there will be plenty of tickets for everyone!” God only knows how many alumni checks were returned on that one…or at the least only God would give you the true number! BTW my brother and I were at the Hoosier Dome for it, as was our recently retired AD “Moose”…none of us were amused when we lost that game. So when we piss away home games for big parties with rich bankers, I complain to this very day. The policy sucks.
BGC ’77 ’82
If Kelly is a still the coach in 2019, smart ND ticketholders will sell to Georgia fans, bank a windfall, and avoid being present for the humiliation.
Win-win….in a brutal loss.
David: We have some bigger problems on the road than Georgia in 2019. Frankly, though Georgia was the better team the last time we met, they were not a whole lot better…one hard earned point if I remember correctly. And in the game I saw, they did not match up all that well against us, especially not against our defense. So road loss??? The odds are in their favor, for sure. “Humiliating brutal” loss??? David, you need to watch the 2017 game again. Oh that’s right…you don’t watch the games! I forgot.
BGC ’77 ’82
Georgia has been completely transformed under Smart. While ND is drifting in the doldrums under Kelly.
Anyone using that last ND game as a future point of reference is making an idiotic mistake.
B.G.C. No need to respond to DOPEY DAVEY!! He never has anything remotely intelligent to say, just the same old KELLY bashing!! GEORGIA beat us by 1 point!! Daveys watching every game!! BRIAN KELLY refused to sign Daveys pocket protector and DOPEY has hated him since!!! CMON DOPEY, put on your SUN DRESS AND CRY SOME MORE FOR US!!!!! SIMPLISTIC VELOCITY!!! WHAT A DOPE!!
Did your mom drop you?
David,
Anyone still living in 2016 needs to face reality. 20-19 is the Georgia game reality, David. 4-8 to 10-3 (just as I predicted) is the 2017 reality David. Let me say this again for 2018: 11-1…and there is not a damn thing in the world you can do to stop it!
BGC ’77 ’82
You, omniscient one, are high on goofballs.