Miami and Notre Dame have turned Saturday night in South Bend into the priciest ticket on the college football calendar.
The get-in price on TickPick was $744 Friday afternoon, a number sports business writer Joe Pompliano described as “the most expensive college football ticket of the season.” The average purchase price is even steeper, sitting at $753 - a Notre Dame Stadium record.
That average clears the previous marks for the building, including the 2023 Ohio State game at $729 and the 2019 Georgia game at $697, according to TickPick. Earlier this week, TicketData.com already had the cheapest seat at $725, while lower-level sideline spots on TickPick’s seat map were listed Friday from about $2,400 to nearly $5,000.
The demand makes sense given what’s on the line. Miami is 8-0 and No. 1 in the AP poll, while Notre Dame is 7-1 and No.
- The Irish came in at No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and committee chair Hunter Yurachek said Notre Dame doesn’t “have that signature win right now.”
Miami also beat Notre Dame 27-24 in last season’s opener in Miami Gardens.
Texas vs. Texas A&M on Black Friday is the most expensive game on TickPick’s 2026 list by average purchase price at $826, with Ohio State vs.
Texas next at $765 and Miami vs. Notre Dame third at $753.
Even so, the cheapest listing on TickPick’s Texas A&M page starts at $354, which is still well below Saturday’s get-in price in South Bend.
The Texas A&M game also carries some baggage from last year’s meeting. The 2024 matchup at Kyle Field produced the regular-season record across college football and the NFL at a $1,079 average, per TickPick.
But demand hasn’t stayed at that level this season. Texas A&M opened 2-0 under coach Mike Elko, then dropped four of its next six games to Kentucky, LSU, Missouri and Alabama to fall to 4-4 and 1-4 in SEC play.
After the 27-6 loss at Missouri, Elko drew a line between the program’s critics and its loyalists. “Our fan base, stay with us,” Elko said.
Texas is all over TickPick’s list, with four of the 10 most expensive games by average purchase price. Along with the trip to College Station and the Ohio State game in Austin, the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma comes in sixth at $560, and the Longhorns’ Sept. 26 game at Tennessee is ninth at $520. Texas also led TickPick’s preseason projection for the sport’s priciest game days at $388.
Rounding out the top 10 are LSU vs. Ole Miss at $635, Notre Dame vs.
BYU at $569, Michigan vs. Ohio State at $557, Ohio State vs.
Indiana at $542 and the Dec. 5 SEC Championship Game at $517.
Those averages will keep moving until the games are actually played.
Texas heads to Kyle Field at 6-2 and ranked No. 10 in the AP poll and No. 7 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, while Texas A&M needs two wins in its final four games to become bowl eligible.
Miami and Notre Dame kick off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Texas and Texas A&M meet Friday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Miami Can Attack The One Notre Dame Flaw That Really Matters
Notre Dame comes into this matchup with the kind of overall defensive profile that usually makes an offense work for every inch, sitting first nationally in total defense. But the deeper dive shows where the Irish have been vulnerable, and it is the part of the field Miami is built to exploit. Notre Dames red-zone defense has been a problem all season, with opponents scoring on 88.9% of their trips inside the 20, a weakness that has shown up in losses and tight games alike.
Miami has been one of the most efficient offenses in the country when space shrinks and points matter most, turning 92.9% of its red-zone chances into points. That kind of finishing ability could loom even larger with Malachi Toney unavailable, because the Hurricanes may need to be more precise rather than more explosive to cash in against a defense that has otherwise been elite. If Miami can keep drives alive and make Notre Dame defend every snap near the goal line, that flaw could end up mattering more than the Irish would like. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Notre Dame Plan Hinges On One Massive Malachi Toney Unknown
Marcus Freeman is leaving Notre Dame room to prepare for a Miami offense that may or may not have Malachi Toney in it. The Hurricanes wide receiver suffered a high ankle sprain, had surgery and has been widely viewed as unlikely to play, but the Irish are still treating his status as a live possibility heading into the matchup. For Miami, the uncertainty matters because Toney has been a key piece of the offense, and his availability would shape how the Hurricanes try to attack a defense that will be studying every scenario.
Notre Dame also expects a boost on its own side with All-American cornerback Leonard Moore set to return after missing recent games with a concussion. For Miami, the bigger concern may be planning beyond this one game, since the Hurricanes have to adjust their offensive approach without Toney for the rest of the regular season and possibly the College Football Playoffs. Even with the injury report pointing one way, the Irish are acting as if they could still see him on the field, which is exactly the kind of wrinkle that can complicate a game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Loaded 2027 Class Just Added Another Huge Piece
Miamis 2027 recruiting class got even deeper with the addition of Brysen Wright, a five-star wide receiver from Jacksonville who has committed to the Hurricanes after reclassifying from the 2028 cycle. It is another major win for a program that has made a point of stacking elite talent early, and it further reinforces how aggressively Miami is working to keep the states best prospects close to home.
Wright joins a class that already features several other five-star names, giving the Hurricanes a group that is starting to look as imposing on paper as any in the country. For Miami, the bigger picture is clear: keep landing premier Florida talent, keep building around it, and keep pushing the 2027 class toward something that can shape the program for years. [Read more 🡒]