Notre Dame’s schedule is grabbing a lot of people’s attention and all for the wrong reasons, as it does not appear like that of a program that is serious about a championship run. It is no secret that top college teams will use their strength of schedule as an argument to get into the post season. How long have we heard about the brutal SEC or the loaded Big 10? But one look at Notre Dame’s schedule, and it is pretty obvious they will be hard pressed to be able to make a strength of schedule argument when trying to better their post season placement or national title chances.
Conference Re-alignment has killed Irish Schedule Options
The Big 10 added powerhouse programs USC, Washington and Oregon, while the SEC brought Texas and Oklahoma onboard. The additions to these conferences, as well as the dissolution of the PAC 12, has created a vacuum effect on the Fighting Irish, leaving them with few options to schedule tougher opponents. Their independent status, coupled with the fact that many schools in these newly bolstered conferences do not wish to add another tough opponent to their schedule, leaves them with a relatively weak schedule. And there is now growing pressure for them to join one of the Power 4 according to Adam Gibbs of Grid Iron Heroics.
Noticeable Gaps In Quality
On the surface, the differences in quality of schedule can be seen right from the beginning. This season, Notre Dame will only play two teams that finished in the top 20, Louisville and the resurgent Florida State. Their opponents for 2024 had a combined record barely over 500, with a 78-70 resume. However, nearly one-third of those wins came from the Cardinals and Seminoles.
In comparison, Texas, which enters the SEC with what many believe to be one of the more relaxed schedules in the conference, will plays opponents with a combined 84-69 record from the previous year. In addition, they have to face two opponents who finished in the top 15 of last year’s rankings, including defending National Champion Michigan. And this does not even count a potential conference title game, if they get that far, which is surely to be against another top ten opponent. Notre Dame, being an independent, does not have a title game option.
The Notre Dame Schedule Gets Weaker When They Need Stronger
Programs that feel they have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs want to have a strong finish to their season against respected opponents, but it appears that the Fighting Irish’s schedule goes the opposite direction. Their last five opponents include Virgina, Navy, and Army, programs which had a combined 14-22 record in 2023. On the bright side, they will have Florida State and USC, which if they can perform well against, can boost their resume.
Toughness of Schedule Will Garner Attention
According to 24/7 Sports, of the 15 toughest schedules in the country, 14 of them are from schools from either the Big 10 or SEC. It was not long ago that Notre Dame was able to crack the top 15 in this category. However, by the end of 2023, they had dropped to as far as 55th in the strength of schedule rankings. This problem has not been lost on even the most staunch of Notre Dame fans. Connor Regan of the Irish Tribune points out that Notre Dame has only reached the top 15 in the strength of schedule rankings three times in the last 13 years. The 2024 schedule will do nothing to help that condition.
Other Problems Created By a Weak Schedule
Playing a weaker schedule does more than just damage a team’s chances to get into the college football playoffs, it can also hurt their preparedness. Programs that regularly encounter tough opponents will inevitably become tougher themselves. While oftentimes, programs who cruise through easier schedules are ill-prepared and more apt to get smashed in the mouth when they are finally confronted by a team that is not substandard.
Notre Dame has reached the college football playoffs twice, and got shellacked both times, once by Alabama, and once by Clemson. If Notre Dame is truly serious about not just reaching national title preparedness, but winning it, they will have to find a way to fix their schedule.