If you were looking for the Fighting Irish to pop up on your TV screen during this month’s College Football Playoff semifinals or the upcoming National Championship, you’ve probably noticed a glaring absence. It's weird, right? Notre Dame finished their regular season with a dominant 49-20 win over Stanford, yet the gold helmets are nowhere to be found in the current bracket.
So, who will Notre Dame play next?
Honestly, the answer is a bit of a gut punch for the South Bend faithful. The football team isn't playing anyone for the rest of the winter. In a move that absolutely stunned the college football world—and sparked some pretty heated debates from South Bend to Bristol—Notre Dame opted out of the postseason entirely after being left out of the 12-team Playoff field. While teams like Miami and Indiana prepare to clash for the title on January 19, the Irish are already looking toward a massive 2026 season opener at Lambeau Field.
Why the Irish Aren't Playing This January
It’s been a chaotic few weeks. Most fans expected that even if the Committee snubbed them for the big dance, we’d at least see Marcus Freeman’s squad in a high-profile bowl game. Instead, the program took a stand. They declined all bowl invitations.
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Critics like Drake Toll have been vocal, calling the move "pure petulance." But from the inside, the narrative is about focus. The school decided that if they weren't playing for a trophy, they were better off hitting the transfer portal and the weight room. It’s a gamble. You lose those extra practices, sure, but you also avoid the risk of injuries in a game that, in their eyes, didn't "matter."
While the football team stays home, the Notre Dame women's basketball team is keeping the lights on at Purcell Pavilion. If you need a fix of Irish athletics right now, they host No. 9 Louisville tonight, January 15, at 6:00 PM ET. It’s a massive Top-25 showdown. Hannah Hidalgo is currently playing like she’s from another planet, leading the nation in steals and basically carrying the scoring load.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Notre Dame Football Schedule
Since the pads are off for now, everyone is staring at September 6, 2026. This isn't just any opener. Notre Dame starts the year against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
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Think about that atmosphere for a second. Two of the biggest traveling fanbases in the country descending on a hollowed NFL cathedral. It’s going to be legendary. After that, the schedule stays fairly unrelenting. There’s no "cupcake" month here.
The 2026 slate looks like this:
- Sept. 6: vs. Wisconsin (at Lambeau Field)
- Sept. 12: Rice (Home)
- Sept. 19: Michigan State (Home)
- Sept. 26: at Purdue (Away)
- Oct. 3: at North Carolina (Away)
The back half of the year includes a trip to Foxborough to face Navy at Gillette Stadium on October 31 and a high-stakes home game against Miami on November 7.
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The BYU Trip and the USC Mystery
One of the biggest talking points for 2026 is the October road trip to Provo. Notre Dame is officially traveling to face BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium. This is a rare mountain-time zone appearance for the Irish.
But there’s a elephant in the room. Where is USC?
For the first time in forever (excluding the 2020 mess), the rivalry with the Trojans is on a "hiatus." Because of USC’s move to the Big Ten and their new travel demands, the two schools couldn't make the dates work for 2026. It’s a bummer for the sport. Instead of the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, the Irish are filling that void with programs like BYU and SMU.
Actionable Steps for Irish Fans
Waiting until September is a long haul. If you’re trying to stay ahead of the curve, here is what you should be doing:
- Watch the WBB Game Tonight: Check out the Louisville matchup on ACC Network. Hidalgo is only 21 steals away from breaking Skylar Diggins’ career record. You don't want to miss history.
- Lambeau Logistics: If you plan on going to the Wisconsin game in September, start looking at Green Bay hotels now. Seriously. They’re already disappearing because the NFL schedule makers usually keep that weekend clear for this specific college matchup.
- Transfer Portal Tracking: Since the team isn't in a bowl, Marcus Freeman is being aggressive in the portal. Keep an eye on defensive line depth—that’s where the rumors say they are looking most.
The "next game" might be further away than we wanted, but the 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most unique schedules in the program's long history.