Notre Dame’s football calendar keeps getting reshaped, and the latest changes reach from the schedule to the depth chart to the injury report.
The biggest long-range news came with Georgia Tech backing out of Notre Dame’s 2027 schedule after the ACC moved to nine conference opponents. That leaves the Irish needing a new game, and the replacement will almost certainly have to come from a Power 4 opponent.
The 2026-27 men’s basketball schedule also arrived late last week, and it comes with a headline grabber right at the top. Notre Dame and Villanova will open the entire NCAA men’s college basketball season in Rome on November 1, with FOX carrying the game live at 9:30 a.m.
ET. It will be the first regular-season game outside the United States in program history, and it is believed to be the first men’s college basketball season opener held outside the country.
That schedule includes a remarkable run at home, too. The Irish are set for a record nine consecutive home games from November 24 through January 6, a stretch that includes ACC games against Stanford and Virginia Tech.
Back on the football side, Notre Dame is still sorting through some Week 4 questions. Safety Luke Talich may not be available Saturday against Purdue after injuring his hand in the 27-10 win over Michigan State. Marcus Freeman said the team would know more later on Monday, but nothing had been announced by then.
The depth chart for the Purdue game brought one noticeable change. Aneyas Williams and Nolan James Jr. are now listed as “or,” with James first at running back. That lines up with what happened against Michigan State, when James handled nearly all of the second-half rushing work and had all but all 19 rush attempts after halftime.
Williams appeared to sit for much of the second half, though it is not clear whether that was tied to his first-half excessive celebration penalty. Freeman addressed the moment on Monday and said he apologized to the running back for how he reacted. The camera caught Freeman visibly angry on the sideline and speaking sharply to Williams, and Freeman said that kind of exchange should not be on camera and ought to stay in-house.
Notre Dame also entered the week as a heavy favorite again. For the fourth straight week, the Irish opened preparation as 27.5-point favorites over Purdue.
And one more date on Notre Dame’s future schedule now has some uncertainty. When the Irish meet Miami on November 7, the Hurricanes may be down a few pieces.
Mario Cristobal said Monday that backup running back CharMar Brown and wide receiver Josh Moore are out for the season, while linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin is out “for a few weeks.” Whether that means he’ll be back in time for Notre Dame is still unclear.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Backfield Battle Just Put New Pressure On Aneyas Williams
Marcus Freeman spent part of the week cleaning up the public side of a moment with Aneyas Williams, saying he regretted how he reacted to Williams excessive celebration penalty in the recent game. The coach made clear the relationship remains strong, but the bigger message for Notre Dames offense showed up in the backfield picture, where the depth chart now has Nolan James Jr. listed as a co-starter with Williams.
That move raises the stakes for Williams at a time when his workload was already dipping in the second half. James pushed his way into the conversation with a strong outing that included 121 yards and a touchdown, and Notre Dame now has a clearer sense that this is not a one-man backfield anymore. For Williams, the challenge is no longer just about bouncing back from one penalty - it is about holding onto snaps in a rotation that suddenly looks a lot more competitive. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame's Playoff Path Just Got More Complicated Than Fans Expected
Notre Dames unbeaten start has kept it in the early playoff conversation, but the latest Week 3 projection from ESPNs Heather Dinich suggests the road ahead is already getting crowded. Dinichs updated College Football Playoff bracket has the Irish slotted at No. 6, which would send them into a first-round matchup with No. 11 USC, a reminder that a strong opening stretch does not guarantee a comfortable path.
The Irish are 3-0 with wins over Wisconsin and Michigan State, and the rest of the schedule is rated 50th nationally, so there is room to climb if the right results keep coming. Dinichs bracket also points to the importance of upcoming chances against ranked opponents BYU and Miami, while Texas, Ole Miss, Ohio State, Georgia and Miami sit in the current top five, setting a steep standard for where Notre Dame may need to move next. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Run Game Gets A Huge Chance To Wake Up Saturday
Purdues defense has been giving up far too much in recent weeks, and head coach Barry Odom has already pointed to the big plays and yardage as a critical problem. That makes Saturday a useful measuring stick for Notre Dame, which is still trying to get its running game moving with more consistency as it heads into the matchup.
For the Irish, this is the kind of game that can help answer whether the ground attack is ready to take a step forward. Purdues issues on defense should create opportunities, but Notre Dame still has to turn them into clean, efficient production, because both teams are walking into the game with something to prove on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]