Notre Dame has two big games in the first three weeks

Notre Dame fans have had September 13, 2025 circled on their calendars for some time. On this day, the Aggies of Texas A&M will travel to South Bend to play one of the most important first games on the 2025 college football slate.

Up to this point, this game has been the focus of the first part of Ireland’s schedule for next year. But that changed suddenly.

As it turns out, the battle with the Aggies won’t be the first big test for Notre Dame that will shape the 2025 season, as it was announced that the Irish will travel to Miami to face the Hurricanes over Labor Day weekend .

The fact that the Irish have two epic matchups to start the year with teams that are sure to be highly ranked must be hard news for the “Notre Dame plays nobody” crowd.

The Irish schedule for 2025 is a superficial beast with major playoff implications

The Irish face Miami, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Boise State and USC in the first half of Notre Dame’s schedule next year.

It’s safe to say that Notre Dame’s playoff hopes largely depend on what happens in these games early in the season. The road will be tough for the Irish, especially if they start the season with a younger, inexperienced quarterback.

If Notre Dame goes 2-0 against the Aggies and Canes, they will be in the best playoff position all year. Should there be an elimination from these games, it will be difficult as the Irish will likely need to win the rest of the season starting in mid-September, similar to this year, to get into the field.

And if Notre Dame loses both games and has two losses by mid-September, it could be a long year in South Bend.

This schedule is strict and does not provide a runway. Notre Dame must be ready to play playoff-level football starting Game 1 in 2025.

For more Irish news and notes, follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on YouTube and/or your favorite audio podcast provider.

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