Despite potential schedule changes, the 2026 slate still includes notable games against Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Miami.
It might not just be the USC Trojans that are backing out to play Notre Dame next fall, as it looks like another team followed their suit and quietly took the Irish off its schedule.
Florida State was initially supposed to play Notre Dame in the 2026 season, but according to a report by On3’s Eric Hansen, “the game has been off the books for some time.” It’s another rivalry game that the Irish have seen fall by the wayside, but there is good news as well on the scheduling front.
The first of what could be many SEC matchups has been announced, as the Irish will start a home-and-home against Auburn beginning in the 2027 season. There has been chatter that moving up the scheduled renewal of the Michigan rivalry could be in the works as well.
As of this moment, when you take off USC and Florida State from the Irish’s slate, it’s not looking as formidable with the loss of those two teams. FBSchedule.com still has the Trojans as a 2026 opponent, but it doesn’t look like there’s much hope that it will get played. Going to North Carolina looked like it would be a fun game, but after Bill Belichick has floundered in Chapel Hill, it’s hard to say that he’ll even be around next fall. There is a “revenge” game as Miami comes to South Bend, and a date against SMU could be interesting as well.
Don’t forget that Steve Angeli could be playing for Syracuse after he recovers from his injury, and the opener against Wisconsin in Lambeau Field is still on the schedule. Even without USC and Florida State, Notre Dame should have enough resume points to have a convincing argument to be a College Football Playoff team once again in 2026.
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