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...
Tyler Carr Just Got The Kind Of Miami Praise Notre Dame Fans Notice
Miami coach Mario Cristobal didnt exactly hand Notre Dame a scouting report in the usual dry, coach-speak way. He singled out Tyler Carr for the kind of growth that gets noticed around the country, crediting the quarterbacks development since last seasons opener and pointing to the way he has grown as both a passer and a runner. Cristobal also praised Carrs control of the offense and his accuracy when the play-calling asks him to make quick decisions.
For Notre Dame, praise from an opponent of Miamis caliber only adds to the intrigue around this matchup. Carr now has a chance to back up that reputation against a strong defense and show that his progress is more than just a compliment from the other sideline. How he handles that stage will say plenty about where his game stands now, and how far the Irish offense can go with him steering it. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Sudeikis Brings A Personal Notre Dame Twist To Miami Showdown
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He also has a personal link to one of the sports most famous meetings between these schools, having been present for the 1988 Notre Dame-Miami showdown known as Catholics vs. Convicts. With College GameDay heading into another chapter of that rivalry, Sudeikis brings more than celebrity appeal to the set, and Notre Dame fans will have a familiar name attached to a weekend built around one of the programs most recognizable stages. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has Protected South Bend From Miami For Decades
Miami has had its moments against Notre Dame in recent years, winning the last two meetings, including last seasons kickoff game. But South Bend has remained a stubborn place for the Hurricanes to solve, and the longer view of this series still leans heavily toward the Irish when the teams meet on Notre Dames home field.
The last Miami victory at Notre Dame Stadium came in 1984, when the Hurricanes rolled to a 31-13 win behind Alonzo Highsmiths four-touchdown performance. Even with Miamis improved success after the 1970s, the overall series still favors Notre Dame, which has built a long-running edge in a rivalry that has rarely been one-sided for long. [Read more 🡒]