Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman entered his tenure at the front end of one of the toughest recent stretches of scheduling I can recall.
The Irish went from the hardest game of the year being Cincinnati at home (which Kelly couldn’t handle)
his last year to a slate that contains 3 top 5 programs 2 years in a row. Welcome to the big leagues Marcus!
Ohio State, USC, and Clemson are the big three. Each present and represent unique challenges for Notre Dame ,
that will have long-lasting consequences both in terms of national perception and recruiting credibility.
1. Ohio State-Sept 23 Ohio State vs Notre Dame in South Bend on a warm late September night? As a college football fan,
This year the roles are reversed. Notre Dame is at home. And possibly even more importantly,
the Irish will have a proven starting QB in Hartman while OSU will be the team breaking in a new signal caller on the big stage.
This year the roles are reversed. Notre Dame is at home. And possibly even more importantly,
2. USC- Oct 14 Notre Dame vs USC is not just a football battle. For many in the Irish fan base, including yours truly, it’s a yearly existential war between good and evil.
Doing things right vs cutting corners, Catholicism vs Hollyweird. I know this may sound dramatic, but the contrasts between how these 2 powers operate couldn’t be more apparent.
3. Clemson- Nov 4 Clemson has turned into a terrific measuring stick game for Notre Dame recently.
Despite the Irish losing badly to a dominant 2018 Clemson team that won the title,
the Irish have fought back and beat Clemson a couple of times since then, and did so quite convincingly at home last year.