Looking Way Too Far Ahead

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are known to play ridiculously tough schedules. Sure, they normally play at least one academy a year, but didn't two academies make it to a bowl game this year? Here, I will post Notre Dame's future opponents in football up to 2013 and grade the schedules. Note that only 2008 is finalized and only 2008 and 2009 have 12 opponents. The ones that do not a date are in italics with possible dates listed. Other possible opponents will be listed as well. They are in order. My source is nationalchamps.net.

2008

v. San Diego State
v. Michigan
@ Michigan State
v. Purdue
v. Stanford
@ North Carolina
@ Washington
v. Pittsburgh
@ Boston College
v. Navy in Baltimore
v. Syracuse
@ Southern California


Grade: 7/10-Notre Dame plays USC, Michigan, Purdue, and Boston College, all who won a bowl game last year. However, they get San Diego State, Syracuse, and Washington, all of whom are very weak opponents. Navy will definitely suffer after Paul Johnson left for Georgia Tech, so they will become a much easier team to face. North Carolina, Stanford, Michigan State, and Pittsburgh all will be better than they were last year, so look out for them. Overall, there are some cupcakes and questionable teams. Notre Dame added North Carolina, Syracuse, Washington, Pittsburgh, and San Diego State while dropping UCLA, Penn State, Georgia Tech, Duke, and Air Force. That's a major drop off.


2009

v. Nevada
@ Michigan
v. Michigan State
@ Purdue
v. Washington
v. Southern California
v. Washington State in San Antonio
v. Navy
@ Pittsburgh
@ Stanford
v. Boston College 10-10, 10-24, 11-21 (most likely)
@ Army 10-10 (most likely), 10-24, 11-21

Grade-8/10: I like this schedule. Nevada is definitely better than San Diego State. Washington State is also a better option than North Carolina. Army is also better than Syrcause. Washington should be fairly good in 2009 if Ty Willingham is fired. Pittsburgh and Stanford should also be contenders in their respective conferences.

2010

v. Purdue
@ Michigan State
v. Stanford
v. Navy in Baltimore
v. Pittsburgh
@ Southern California
v. Michigan 9-11 (most likely), 10-2, 10-9, 10-16, 10-30, 11-20
@ Boston College 9-11, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16, 10-30 (most likely), 11-20
v. Rutgers 9-11, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16, 10-30, 11-20 (most likely)
Other possible opponents: They need a neutral site game, which may be played in Tampa, Dallas, Indianapolis, Chicago, or New Jersey. Teams that may want to play a neutral site are Miami, Florida State, Texas, Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State, or Army. I would like to see Notre Dame play Illinois in Chicago at Soldier Field. Opponents that may set up a home and home against Notre Dame are Notre Dame are Air Force, LSU, Georgia Tech, South Florida, Northwestern, Oklahoma, and Iowa.

Grade-6/10: So far, Notre Dame does not have a great non-traditional opponent yet. In fact, all of these teams have been regular on the recent schedule. However, LSU and Notre Dame have been negotiating for a home and home for years, and teams like South Florida and Air Force may find their way on the schedule. For now, the schedule is bad, but it could be great.

2011

@ Purdue
v. Michigan State
@ Pittsburgh
v. South Florida
v. Southern California 9-10, 10-1, 10-8, 10-15, 10-22 (most likely), 10-29, 11-5 11-12
v. Navy 9-10, 10-1, 10-8, 10-15 (most likely), 10-22, 10-29, 11-5, 11-12
v. Boston College 9-10, 10-1, 10-8, 10-15, 10-22, 10-29, 11-5, 11-12
@ Michigan 9-10 (most likely), 10-1, 10-8, 10-15, 10-22, 10-29, 11-5, 11-12
v. Rutgers 9-10, 10-1, 10-8, 10-15, 10-22, 10-29, 11-5, 11-12 (most likely)
Other Possible Opponents: Stanford will definitely make its way onto the schedule at 11-26. Some other opponents may be Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Air Force, Army, or Alabama. The neutral site game I would like to see is Army in New York in the New Yankee Stadium or Citi Field or New Jersey in the New Meadowlands Stadium.

2012

v. Pittsburgh
v. Purdue Any Saturday from 9-1 to 11-24 besides 9-22 (9-29)
@ Boston College (10-13)
@ Southern California (10-20)
v. Navy in Dublin (9-1)
@ Rutgers (11-10)
@ Oklahoma (10-27)
v. Michigan (9-8)
Other Possible Opponents: The neutral site game I would want to see is in Green Bay versus Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. The history of Lambeau and Notre Dame go hand in hand. Curly Lambeau, a former Notre Dame player, founded the Green Bay Packers, giving them the colors of Notre Dame, blue and gold, before being changed to green and gold when Vince Lombardi arrived. Notre Dame has to play a game in the stadium named after their most favorite football-related graduate. Notre Dame will play Stanford, and the others I expect to see scheduled are Arizona State, Michigan State, and Penn State.

Grade: 9/10-I like this schedule a lot. USC, Michigan, and Oklahoma all have played in a BCS Bowl game in the past two years, and they have all played in a national championship since Notre Dame last won one. They will all be great come 2012. I added on a point for the game in Dublin. That's awesome.

2013

v. Oklahoma
@ Pittsburgh
v. Southern California On any Saturday from 9-14 to 11-23 besides 11-9 (10-19)
v. Navy (10-12)
Boston College (10-26)
@ Purdue (9-21)
v. Rutgers (11-2)
@ Michigan (9-14)
Other Possible Opponents: The neutral site game I want to see is versus Air Force in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. The other opponents I expect to see scheduled are Army, Michigan State, Arizona State, and Pittsburgh.

Grade: 8/10-This is the same schedule as 2012. Same grade minus the extra point for Dublin.