By Notre Dame Standards, 2024 Schedule Hardly Daunting

The Fighting Irish’s class of incoming transfers was ranked 43rd by the 247sports.com database. Notre Dame did land a top-10 recruiting class headlined by defensive lineman Bryce Young, linebacker Kyngstonn Villamu-Asa, quarterback CJ Carr, receiver Cam Wiliams and offensive lineman Guerby Lambert – all top-100 recruits.

According to the college football futures odds, Notre Dame has -175 odds to make the College Football Playoff field. The Fighting Irish are priced at +2800 to win the national title.

Here’s a look at some of the more challenging matchups for Notre Dame heading into the 2024 season.

Top 4 Games for Notre Dame in 2024

1. Notre Dame Could Be an Underdog in Season Opener

Since 2010, Notre Dame has opened the season against a ranked team just twice and split those games. Texas A&M has a chance to be ranked when the season gets underway with a home game against the Fighting Irish.

The teams haven’t met since 2001 with Texas A&M winning 24-3 as a three-point home favorite.

Texas A&M was one of the most active teams in the portal with 28 transfers signed by the Aggies, including 17 from Power-5 conference programs. The Aggies lost more transfers than they gained so it is hard to know what to expect from Texas A&M in the post-Jimbo Fisher era. However, Texas A&M is currently listed by the college football spread as a 1-point favorite even though new Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is getting plenty of love in the preseason.

From @SportsCenter: One QB to keep an eye on that could make ‘the leap’ this year is Riley Leonard of Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/43ntAFNB8F

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) June 10, 2024

2. Can Notre Dame Take Down Reigning ACC Champs Florida St.?

The ACC preseason betting favorites come to South Bend when Florida State plays Notre Dame for the fourth time in the last seven years.

The Seminoles were left out of the 2023 College Football Playoffs despite winning the ACC title as an undefeated team.

Three of the last five meetings between the Fighting Irish and the Seminoles were decided by four points or less. The last win by a visiting team in this series came in 2003.

Both teams could have starting quarterbacks who began their collegiate careers in the ACC with Leonard the favorite to be the Notre Dame starter and former Clemson starter DJ Uiagelelei returning to the ACC after one season at Oregon State.

Notre Dame has a bye week before facing Florida State on Nov. 9.

3. Longtime Rivals Meet Again in Clash vs USC

Southern California might have changed conferences but that doesn’t mean that Notre Dame has been taken off the schedule for USC.

The teams are set to meet for the 95th time in a series that began with USC’s 13-12 win over visiting Notre Dame in 1926. The last three games have been decided by double digits. Notre Dame scored on defense and on special teams in the fourth quarter in last year’s meeting that pretty much ended USC quarterback Caleb Williams’ bid to win a second consecutive Heisman Trophy. USC outgained Notre Dame in the game but lost by 28 points.

Former UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava figures to be leading the USC offense. The Notre Dame defense will look a little different with JD Bertrand, the team’s top tackler in each of the last three seasons, now with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

4. Will Louisville Soar in South Bend?

The final game to watch is a little harder to pinpoint. With Louisville showing up as a contender in the ACC, the Cardinals’ matchup at Notre Dame on Sept. 28 gets the nod. Louisville pulled away by scoring on six straight possessions in the second half on the way to a 33-20 win as the 6½-point underdog at home vs. the Fighting Irish last season.

Notre Dame’s run defense had some major issues in the loss. The good news for the Fighting Irish is that Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan is now with the Houston Texans after being selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He ripped through the Fighting Irish defense in the previous matchup.

This will be the fourth meeting between the teams in the last six seasons with the previous three games all landing under the total.

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