The relationship between Notre Dame and the ACC extends back to 2013, nearly a full decade as a partial member of the league. Per Notre Dame’s agreement with the ACC, the Irish are conference members for Olympic sports, yet remain (proudly) Independent in football, the school’s golden-domed crown jewel.
The 2020 season stands out for obvious reasons; that’s when the ACC allowed Notre Dame football to join the conference for one season, no strings attached. Two years removed, this really does look like a missed opportunity for the ACC — one that could have long-term ramifications. For now, though, it’s an outlier: when a desperate Notre Dame program needed
Notre Dame does, however, play five ACC opponents in football each season; that’s an important piece of the agreement, which was set in 2014. In a micro sense, those games are major boons for ACC programs. Those games are great from a branding perspective, while adding large TV audiences and potential sellouts for teams hosting the Irish. (This can also translate into additional season ticket packages being sold.)
This means: nearly 42 percent of Notre Dame’s games are scheduled ahead of time, years in advance, with ACC opponents. In fact, as is currently constituted, the next 15 years of ACC opponents are set. Back in 2017, the ACC and Notre Dame announced that annual matchups for the 2026-37 seasons, one year beyond the ACC’s Grant of Rights (2036).
Previously, the two parties already arranged matchups through the 2025 campaign. In some of the future seasons, ACC opponents are the only games on the schedule, currently. Of course, that’ll change over time, too, regardless of realignment.
Last month, the ACC announced its own future scheduling model. Starting in the 2023 season, the league will move away from the two-division system and adopt a 3-3-5 model.
Starting with the 2022 season, here’s a year-by-year look at Notre Dame’s scheduled ACC matchups, which could obviously shift depending on how things fall with realignment. (If available, the dates for each matchup are marked to the side.)
2022
Notre Dame at North Carolina (9/24)
Notre Dame at Syracuse (10/29)
Clemson at Notre Dame (11/5)
Boston College at Notre Dame (11/9)
2023
Wake Forest at Notre Dame (10/28)
Notre Dame at Clemson (11/4)
Pittsburgh at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Louisville
Notre Dame at NC State
2024
Notre Dame at Georgia Tech (10/19)
Florida State at Notre Dame (11/9)
Virginia at Notre Dame (11/16)
Miami at Notre Dame
2025
NC State at Notre Dame
Syracuse at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Boston College
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
Notre Dame at Miami
2026
Notre Dame at North Carolina (10/3)
Virginia at Notre Dame (10/17)
Louisville at Notre Dame
Syracuse at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Florida State
2027
Virginia Tech at Notre Dame (11/6)
Georgia Tech at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Clemson
Notre Dame at Duke
Notre Dame at Wake Forest
2028
Notre Dame at Virginia Tech (11/4)
Boston College at Notre Dame
Miami at Notre Dame
Clemson at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
2029
Notre Dame at NC State (10/6)
Notre Dame at Florida State (11/10)
Georgia Tech at Notre Dame
Wake Forest at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Syracuse
2030
Notre Dame at Louisville (11/2)
Duke at Notre Dame
Florida State at Notre Dame
North Carolina at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Boston College
2031
Notre Dame at Clemson (9/1)
Notre Dame at Virginia (10/11)
NC State at Notre Dame (11/22)
Miami at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
2032
Notre Dame at Georgia Tech (10/30)
Florida State at Notre Dame
Louisville at Notre Dame
Wake Forest at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Miami
2033
Notre Dame at Duke (9/24)
Virginia Tech at Notre Dame (11/5)
Pittsburgh at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Boston College
Notre Dame at Louisville
2034
Notre Dame at Miami (10/26)
Clemson at Notre Dame
Syracuse at Notre Dame
Virginia at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
2035
Notre Dame at NC State (11/10)
Boston College at Notre Dame
Duke at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Virginia
Notre Dame at Louisville
2036
Notre Dame at Virginia Tech (9/1)
Notre Dame at Georgia Tech (9/27)
Florida State at Notre Dame (10/4)
Pittsburgh at Notre Dame (11/1)
North Carolina at Notre Dame (11/8)
2037
NC State at Notre Dame (10/3)
Miami at Notre Dame
Notre Dame at Clemson
Notre Dame at Syracuse
Notre Dame at Wake Forest
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