Waking up on a Saturday morning with that specific South Bend buzz in the air is a feeling you can't really replicate. But honestly, the first thing most of us do—before the coffee is even finished—is check the phone to see what time is the notre dame football game today. It’s the constant variable in an Irish fan's life. Kickoff times are the sun that the rest of our weekend orbit around. If it's a night game, you’re pacing yourself through a long tailgate. If it’s a noon start, you’re basically eating bratwurst for breakfast.
We are currently in that weird "in-between" phase of the calendar. The 2025 season just wrapped up with some wild results, and we’re looking straight down the barrel of the 2026 schedule. If you’re trying to plan your life—weddings, vacations, or just when to fire up the smoker—you need the hard data.
What Time Is The Notre Dame Football Game? The 2026 Opener at Lambeau
The season opener is always the big one. For 2026, Notre Dame isn't just playing a game; they’re taking over one of the most iconic venues in sports history.
Sunday, September 6, 2026: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin
- Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
- Time: TBA (Typically a primetime window)
- TV Channel: NBC / Peacock
This is a "Shamrock Series" game, which means all the bells and whistles. Since it’s a Sunday night game on Labor Day weekend, you can bet your last dollar that NBC is eyeing that 7:30 PM ET slot. Nothing says "college football is back" like the Irish under the lights in a legendary NFL stadium. It's kinda poetic, really.
✨ Don't miss: Kurt Warner Height: What Most People Get Wrong About the QB Legend
The 2026 Home Slate: South Bend Kickoff Trends
Once the team gets back from Wisconsin, the routine settles in. Sorta. For decades, Notre Dame home games were synonymous with 1:30 PM or 2:30 PM starts. But money talks, and NBC loves their primetime broadcasts.
For the September 12 home opener against Rice, expect a traditional afternoon kickoff. Rice isn't exactly a ratings juggernaut, so a 3:30 PM ET start is a safe bet. However, when Michigan State comes to town on September 19, all bets are off. Rivalries like that often get the "NBC Saturday Night" treatment.
Here is the current look at the 2026 schedule as it stands:
- Sept 12: Rice (Home) - Time TBA
- Sept 19: Michigan State (Home) - Time TBA
- Sept 26: at Purdue (Away) - Time TBA
- Oct 3: at North Carolina (Away) - Time TBA
- Oct 31: vs. Navy (at Gillette Stadium) - Time TBA
- Nov 7: Miami (FL) (Home) - Time TBA
- Nov 21: Boston College (Home) - Time TBA
The Miami game on November 7 is the one everyone has circled. That’s a "Catholics vs. Convicts" legacy matchup. If that isn't a 7:30 PM ET kickoff, I’ll be shocked.
🔗 Read more: Juan Carlos Gabriel de Anda: Why the Controversial Sportscaster Still Matters
Why Kickoff Times Are Always "TBA"
It's the most annoying phrase in sports: "Time To Be Announced."
TV networks like NBC, ABC, and ESPN usually wait until 6 to 12 days before the game to lock in the exact time. They want to see who is winning and who is ranked. If Notre Dame is 5-0 and Michigan State is 5-0, that game moves from a sleepy afternoon slot to a massive national broadcast. It’s all about the "eyeballs," as the executives say.
The deal with NBC is unique. Because Notre Dame is independent, they have their own kingdom on that network. Most home games will land in that 3:30 PM ET or 7:30 PM ET window. If you're looking for what time is the notre dame football game and the schedule says "TBA," just look at the opponent. The bigger the name, the later the game.
The Road Warrior Life: Different Time Zones
When the Irish travel, things get tricky. The October 3 trip to North Carolina is straightforward Eastern Time. But Notre Dame has a massive game scheduled against BYU in Provo, Utah (date still shifting in some reports, but largely expected for October).
💡 You might also like: Ja Morant Height: Why the NBA Star Looks Bigger Than He Actually Is
When they play in Mountain Time or Pacific Time (like the Stanford or USC games), you might find yourself watching a kickoff at 8:00 PM or even 10:00 PM ET. It's a "Pac-12 After Dark" vibe, even though those conferences are basically gone now. Grab an extra espresso; those late-night finishes in Los Angeles or Palo Alto are brutal for the East Coast fans.
Practical Tips for Tracking Game Times
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, don't just rely on a Google search the morning of the game.
- Download the Fighting Irish App: It's usually the first place the official time is posted once the "TBA" is lifted.
- Check the Betting Lines: Oddly enough, Vegas often knows the "projected" time before it’s official because it affects how they set the lines.
- NBC/Peacock Schedule: Since they own the home rights, their promo commercials during the previous week’s game will always announce the next week's time.
The most important thing to remember is that the "Shamrock Series" game against Navy (October 31) is in Foxborough, MA this year. That’s a neutral site game, but it's technically a Notre Dame home broadcast. Since it's Halloween, keep an eye out for a weird start time—sometimes they shift these to avoid conflicting with trick-or-treating hours in the local market, though national TV usually overrides local concerns.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
To ensure you never miss a kickoff, you should sync the official Notre Dame Athletics calendar to your Google or Apple calendar. These digital schedules update automatically the second a "TBA" becomes a concrete time. Additionally, if you're planning to attend a game at Notre Dame Stadium in 2026, remember that the parking lots typically open at 8:00 AM ET regardless of whether the game starts at noon or night. Map out your travel route to South Bend at least 48 hours in advance, as construction on I-80/90 is a perennial tradition as reliable as the Victory March itself.