Notre Dame and Texas have the kind of names that sell themselves. Put those two brands on the same field in primetime, and college football would have a showcase that grabs everybody from the diehards to the casual viewer.
That possibility is at least on the table. Notre Dame athletics director Pete Bevacqua said the Irish intend to keep chasing marquee opponents, and Texas is clearly part of that conversation.
The two programs are already set for a home-and-home series beginning in 2028. Notre Dame will host in South Bend that season, then travel to Austin in 2029.
Bevacqua made it clear he wants that relationship to continue beyond those two games.
“I talk to Chris Del Conte often,” Bevacqua recently told "The Golics," referencing the Texas athletic director (h/t On3). “We’re both bullish and gung-ho about keeping that game on the schedule.
You talk about two of the great brands in college football playing one another. That’s going to be great here, it’s going to be great there."
He also hinted that another home-and-home series involving a blueblood and the Irish could be announced soon. Notre Dame, under Bevacqua and head coach Marcus Freeman, isn’t backing away from these kinds of matchups. The message is simple: they believe the program belongs in the biggest games.
“There’s great interest in playing Notre Dame, and we want to play the best as often as we can," the athletic director said.
That’s the kind of approach that makes a Texas-Notre Dame series feel bigger than just another nonconference date. If it sticks and turns annual, it would bring back some of the old feel of college football - the part built on heavyweight programs meeting each other without needing conference ties to make it happen.
In a sport shaped so much by realignment, NIL and the transfer portal, this is the sort of scheduling move that feels like a nod to what fans miss most: the pageantry of major programs taking each other on.
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Notre Dame May Have Real Momentum With An Elite Legacy WR Target
Notre Dames wide receiver recruiting board has another elite name on it, and Jaylen Addai looks like the kind of legacy target the Irish would love to land. The 2028 five-star prospect already holds more than 40 college offers, but his ties to the program give South Bend a different kind of pull. He is the son of former NFL running back Joseph Addai, and the family and coaching connections around him have kept Notre Dame in the conversation as his recruitment starts to take shape.
Addai recently got a closer look at campus on an unofficial visit, and the trip only seemed to strengthen the sense that Notre Dame is a serious player here. For a prospect with that many options, the Irish have reason to feel encouraged when a visit leaves a real impression, especially with so much history and familiarity already in the background. The challenge now is turning that early momentum into something lasting as the process moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames First Practice Put Two Crucial Position Battles In Focus
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The offensive line picture was especially worth watching because two names tied to important jobs were tracked in very different ways. Charles Jagusah was not in uniform as he continues to work back from shoulder surgery, while Ashton Craig was back mixing in with the top group and even getting a look at guard. For Notre Dame, that kind of early movement can hint at where the staff may have flexibility, and where the depth chart still needs time to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is Chasing More Games Fans Will Circle For Years
Notre Dames future schedule already has one marquee date on it with Texas set to begin a home-and-home series in 2028, bringing the Longhorns to South Bend before the Irish head to Austin. It is the kind of matchup that fits Notre Dames long-running preference for games that travel well, carry national weight and give fans something to point to years in advance.
Athletics director Pete Bevacqua said he and Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte have talked about extending the series beyond the two scheduled games, and that fits the broader direction Notre Dame wants to keep taking. The Irish have also made it clear they intend to line up more high-profile opponents in the future, which means this could be less of a one-off attraction and more of a template for the next wave of schedules fans will start circling early. [Read more 🡒]