Which Notre Dame opponent is the THIRD game on a two game schedule?
It’s not a very tough schedule for Notre Dame in 2026, but will there be any surprise challenges?
CHAPEL HILL, NC - SEPTEMBER 24: North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Storm Duck (3) and North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Power Echols (23) tackle Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Logan Diggs (3) in the backfield during a football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Tar Heels on September 24, 2022, at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, NC. (Photo by Charles Brock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program is currently in the middle of the spring practice period with the Blue-Gold Game as the finale on April 25. So, this offseason is moving along quite nicely, but the conversation has been mostly a predictable mix of optimism and sturdy defense.
Notre Dame has generally been brutalized by college football fans for its 2026 schedule. In fairness to the “haters” out there, it’s not a great schedule. It’s not a great schedule on paper — right now.
Things can certainly change and preseason expectations for teams can be turned upside down as we see every year. According to just about anyone with a pulse, it’s a two team schedule for the Irish in 2026. Notre Dame goes on the road to take on BYU in the middle of October, and they welcome the Miami Hurricanes in the first week of November.
Notre Dame is still likely to be favorites on both of those games, but those are the two toughest games on the schedule with SP+ rankings of #8 for Miami and #18 for BYU. So… what’s the third toughest game? The next three highest ranked teams according to SP+ are the SMU Mustangs (28), North Carolina Tar Heels (54) and the Wisconsin Badgers (61).