Notre Dame’s schedule next year has multiple marque games and recently Dean Straka of 247Sports ranked the most important regular season contests for the upcoming season (read here). Upon first view of the schedule for this year’s football season, there are multiple games on the Irish’s schedule that will have a big impact on the race for a top 4 of the College Football Playoffs rankings.
Straka first names the Golden Domer’s visit to historic Lambeau Field on October 3rd to face the Wisconsin Badgers as their first important game in the college football world. It should be noted that the Badgers will be breaking in a new running back and center, after star Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Biadasz left early to the NFL, and two WR’s after Quintez Cephus also left early to play for pay and Aron Cruickshank transfers inside the Big Ten to Rutgers. Linebacker Zach Baun exhausted his eligibility and will move on as well, meaning this is a great year for the Irish to face the Badgers as they have lost plenty of elite talent and Wisconsin Head Coach Paul Chryst will still be trying to replace the productivity of his former stars.
The next game Straka has highlighted is when the CFP runner-up Clemson Tigers come to South Bend on November 7th. The surprise return of RB Travis Etienne makes this contest much more challenging, as Heisman front-runner Trevor Lawrence has lost just one game in his college career up to date. The Tigers have recruited among the best schools in the nation, and while they will lose some talent as well, Dabo Swinney has their program running on all cylinders. As this game is currently the only game on Clemson’s schedule against a top 25 opponent, it will mean a great deal for them, but don’t forget the impact of a win for Brian Kelly would mean. Any team that beats Clemson has to be considered among the best in the nation, and if the Irish would be able to pull this one out at home, it would give them a gigantic boost towards returning to the College Football Playoff.
Which game in Notre Dame’s upcoming schedule are you most excited about?