Breaking down the 2023 schedule

2023-08-20 - Austin Hough

SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football annually plays one of the more unique schedules in the country, and 2023 is no exception.

Along with traditional rivalry games with Navy, USC and Stanford, the Fighting Irish get to play two of the country’s premier programs in Ohio State and Clemson. They’ll play seven-straight games to start the season — including an international trip to begin the year — before getting two open dates in the final six weeks. There is some history on the schedule as well, as the Irish will have its first encounter with an Historically Black College in Tennessee State, which kicks off the home slate inside Notre Dame Stadium.

Here is a brief breakdown of each Notre Dame football opponent this season, from worst matchup to best:

Game info: Saturday, Sept. 2 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, 3:30 p.m. h Series history: First meeting h Last year’ record: 4-7 h Early betting line: Notre Dame About Tennessee State: This is the first time in modern history Notre Dame will play a non-Football Bowl Subdivision team, as well as a Historically Black College. The Tigers are coached by Eddie George, the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State who is in his third season.

Tennessee State returns quarterback Draylen Ellis who threw for 1,806 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions last year while adding four rushing scores. Leading rusher Jalen Rouse is back.. He accumulated 613 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore. Wide receiver Karate Brenson had 329 yards and a touchdown last year.

Tennessee State graduated its top two tacklers, as well as its leading pass rusher from a defense that allowed nearly 25 points a game in 2022.

hinfo: Saturday, August 26 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, 2:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. local start

Series history:

79-13-1

Last meeting: Notre Dame won, 3532, in 2022 h Last year’s record: 4-8 h Early betting line (via Bet MGM): Notre Dame -19.5

About Navy: For the second time in the series history, Notre Dame and Navy will face off in Ireland. In the previous matchup, the Irish beat the Midshipmen, 50-10, to open the 2012 season. The game was supposed to happen in Dublin in 2020, but it was canceled due to COVID.

Brian Newberry takes over as Navy head coach following a 15-year run from Ken Niumatalolo. Regardless of who is coach, the Midshipmen’s identity is the triple-option rushing attack. They ranked fourth in the nation last season in rushing at 241 yards per game.

Most of that rushing production returns. Of Navy’s top five rushers from 2022, four are back. That includes junior fullback Daba Fofana (769 yards in 2022), junior fullback Anton Hall Jr. (390 yards), senior quarterback Xavier Arline (376 yards) and senior quarterback Tai Lavatai (309 yards). If the Midshipmen improve off its 4-8 record from last year, those four are going to have to produce even more than they did a season ago.

hhGame info: Saturday, Sept. 16 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, 2:30 p.m.

Series history: ings

Last year’s record: 4-8

About Central Michigan: The Chippewas featured a young roster in 2022 and it’s not much older this year, specifically at quarterback. Five players are listed as redshirt sophomores or younger. Redshirt freshman Bert Emanuel Jr. and redshirt sophomore Jase Bauer appear to be the frontrunners for the starting QB spot.

It’s the fifth season for head coach

hhh❚ No. 12: Sept. 2 — vs. TENNESSEE STATE @ Notre Dame Stadium

❚ No. 11: Aug. 26 — vs. Navy @ Dublin, Ireland

hGame

Notre Dame leads,

❚ No. 10: Sept. 16 — vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN @ Notre Dame Stadium

No previous meet

Jim McElwain, who also coached at Colorado State and Florida. The Chippewas are 24-21 in his tenure with two bowl appearances.

Game info: Saturday, Nov. 18 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, 3:30 p.m.

Series history:

hh4-0

h Last meeting: Notre Dame won, 5627, in 2018

Last year’s record: 8-5, defeated Missouri, 27-17, in the Gasparilla Bowl

About Wake Forest: Get ready for the overdone Sam Hartman storyline. The last time Notre Dame played Wake Forest in football, Hartman went 12-for-24 passing for 110 yards as a freshman for the Demon Deacons. Five years later, the graduate transfer suits up for the Irish after leaving Wake Forest as its most prolific QB in program history.

Hartman finished his final season in Winston-Salem with 3,701 passing yards and 38 touchdowns. Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson has five QBs on the roster. Junior Mitch Griffis attempted 41 passes last year, making him the front runner to start heading into fall camp.

Leading rusher, Justice Ellison (707 yards, six touchdowns in 2022) returns, as do four top receivers — Donavon Greene (642 receiving yards, six touchdowns), Jahmal Banks (636 yards, nine touchdowns), Taylor Morin (575 yards, nine touchdowns) and Ke’Shawn Williams (553 yards, one touchdown).

Replacing Ryan Smenda Jr.’s 117 tackles is the biggest for the Deacons’ defense. But experience does return in Chase Jones (74 tackles in 2022), Chelen Garnes (71 tackles) and Malik Mustapha (58 tackles).

hGame info: Saturday, Oct. 28 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, 3:30 p.m.

Series history:

49-21-1

Last meeting:

45-3, in 2020

Last year’s record:

UCLA in Sun Bowl

About Pittsburgh: After its first bye week of the season, Notre Dame returns to face a familiar foe in Pitt.

The Panthers finished 2022 by going 4-0 in November, followed by a December win over UCLA in the Sun Bowl. Pitt replaces quarterback Kedon Slovis who threw for 2,391 yards passing and 10 touchdowns. He transferred to BYU in the spring, with the Panthers going into the portal as well to snag Phil Jurkovec. After starting his career with Notre Dame, Jurkovec spent the past three seasons with Boston College, battling injuries and inconsistent play.

Running back Israel Abanikanda (1,431 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns) is now in the NFL, putting more on the shoulders of junior Rodney Hammond Jr. and another former Notre Dame player, C’Bo Flemister, to carry the load.

Pitt also loses its top four tacklers from last year. The top returning defender is cornerback M.J. Devonshire, who led the team with three interceptions in 2022.

hhhhinfo: Saturday, Nov. 25 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif., time TBA

Series history:

21-14

Last meeting: Stanford won, 16-14, in 2022)

Last year’s record: 3-9

About Stanford: This is a payback game for the Irish following last year’s shocking home loss to the lowly Cardinal. Head coach David Shaw, who guided Stanford to one of its most successful stretches in program history, resigned after the season. Troy Taylor will be the third first-year head coach Notre Dame faces this season.

Ari Patu and Aston Daniels are the only Stanford quarterbacks with game experience, combining for 15 pass attempts last season. Daniels was used in the running game, rushing for 156 yards on 25 attempts for three touchdowns. Stanford’s top two running backs return in Casey Filkins (478 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns) and E.J. Smith (206 yards, three touchdowns).

hhhNo. 9: Nov. 18 — vs. WAKE FOREST at Notre Dame Stadium

❚

No. 8: Oct. 28 — vs. PITTSBURGH at Notre Dame Stadium

❚

Notre Dame leads,

Notre Dame won, 9-4, defeated

❚ No. 7: Nov. 25 — @ Stanford, Palo Alto, Calif.

hGame

Notre Dame leads,

Defensively the Cardinal replaces its top three tacklers from a defense that struggled to force turnovers in 2022, recording just six interceptions and recovering three fumbles.

info: Saturday, Sept. 30 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C., time TBA

Series history: Notre Dame leads,

h5-2

h Last meeting: Notre Dame won, 2713, in 2020.

Last year’s record: 9-4, defeated Central Florida, 30-13, in the Military Bowl

About Duke: The Blue Devils had a strong first year under head coach Mike Elko, a former Notre Dame assistant. All four Blue Devils’ losses were by eight points or less.

Returning quarterback Riley Leonard threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2022. He also rushed for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns, leading the team in both categories. Running backs Jordan Waters (566 yards), Jaquez Moore (508) and Jaylen Coleman (480) also return. Brandon Johnson and DeWayne Carter, both of whom led the team with 5.5 sacks last year anchor the defense.

Elko was Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2017.

hinfo: Saturday, Sept. 9 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., noon h Series history: N.C. State leads, 2-1 h Last meeting: Notre Dame won, 3514, in 2017

Last year’s record: 8-5, lost 16-12 to Maryland in Duke’s Mayo Bowl

About NC State: Early-season road test for the Irish. Instability at the quarterback position caused some issues for N.C. down the stretch in 2022 as four different QBs attempted 60 passes or more. Head coach Dave Doeren dipped into the transfer portal to bring in Brennan Armstrong who enjoyed success as a starter at Virginia.

The Wolfpack hung their hat on defense with 19.2 points-per-game allowed — tied for 11th best in the country — but graduated their top three tacklers. Cornerback Aydan White, who led with four interceptions last year, does returen

hinfo: Saturday, Oct. 7 at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky., time TBA

Series history:

h2-1

h Last meeting:

12-7, in 2020

Last year’s record: 8-5, defeated Cincinnati, 24-7, in the Fenway Bowl

About Louisville: The Cardinals added transfer Jack Plummer to replace Malik Cunningham. Plummer had previous stops at Purdue and Cal, the latter of which he threw for 3,095 yards and 22 touchdowns last year.

Leading rusher, Jawhar Jordan (815 rushing yards), returns, but the Cardinals graduated top receiving threat Tyler Hudson. Two key defensive players in the secondary also return in Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Josh Minkins, who had 67 and 55 tackles, respectively.

It’s the first season of head coach Jeff Brohm at Louisville, who played quarterback at the school in the 1990s. He spent the past five seasons as the head coach at Purdue.

hinfo: Saturday, Nov. 4 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C., time TBA h Series history: Clemson leads, 4-3 h Last meeting: Notre Dame won, 3514, in 2022

Last year’s record: 11-3, lost 31-14 in Orange Bowl to Tennessee

About Clemson: For the fifth time in six seasons, the Irish and Tigers will face off. The teams have split the last four meetings, with Clemson winning in the 2018 CFP semifinal and 2020 ACC championship game, while Notre Dame has won both regular season meetings in South Bend in 2020 and 2022. This is Notre Dame’s first trip to Clemson since the classic 2015 contest that saw the Tigers beat the Irish, 24-22, in monsoonlike conditions.

h❚ No. 6: Sept. 30 — @ Duke, Durham, N.C.

hGame

❚ No. 5: Sept. 9 — @ N.C. State, Raleigh, N.C.

hGame

❚ No. 4: Oct. 7 — @ Louisville

hGame

Notre Dame leads,

Notre Dame won,

❚ No. 3: Nov. 4 — @ Clemson

hGame

While Clemson is still amongst the college football elite, it struggled by its standards in 2022. After starting 8-0 and reaching No. 4 in the CFP polls, its loss to Notre Dame started a 3-3 finish that also included losses to rival South Carolina and to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.

All eyes will be on sophomore quarterback Cade Klubnik, who saw playing time last year after DJ Uiagalelei struggled. The Tigers didn’t add a QB through the transfer portal, giving Klubnik the preverbal keys to the car of the Clemson offense.

Klubnik will have Antonio Williams to still throw the ball to. As a freshman last year, Williams led the team with 604 yards receiving. The team’s leading rusher in 2022, Will Shipley, also returns. Shipley, a one-time Notre Dame commit, accounted for 1,182 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground in his sophomore campaign.

Key defensive returners are Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (89 tackles, 6.5 sacks in 2022) and Barrett Carter (73 tackles, 5.5 sacks).

info: Saturday, Oct. 14 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, 7:30 p.m.

Series history:

48-37-5

Last meeting:

2022

Last year’s record: 11-3, lost 46-45 to Tulane in Cotton Bowl

Early betting line (via Bet MBM): Notre Dame -1

About USC: Notre Dame had won the Jeweled Shillelagh four-straight times before USC took it back last year. The victory for the Trojans over the Irish in Los Angeles put the finishing touches on a Heisman Trophy win for USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who returns this year with a chance to become the second player in college football history to win back-to-back Heismans.

Williams will lead a prolific Trojans offense that averaged 41.4 points per game last year, third best in the country. Although the top receiver from last year, Jordan Addison, is now in the NFL, the next three leaders in receptions for USC return in Tahj Washington (50 catches, 785 yards in 2022), Mario Williams (40 catches, 631 yards) and Brendan Rice (39 catches, 611 yards). Finding replacements for running backs Travis Dye and Austin Jones, as well as solidifying an offensive line that allowed 30 sacks last year — including seven to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game — will be the biggest concerns on offense for the Trojans.

Defensively, USC will have to replace Tuli Tuipulotu, who’s 13.5 sacks last year were the most of any player in the country. The team’s leading tackler in 2022, Max Williams, is back to help turnaround a defense that allowed 47 and 46 points to Utah and Tulane, respectively, in its final two games of the season. The Trojans allowed 27 or more points in seven of its final eight contests overall, leaving it the biggest question mark for a USC team that has College Football Playoff aspirations in 2023.

hhhhGame info: Saturday, Sept. 23 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, 7:30 p.m.

Series history:

hh5-2

Last meeting: Ohio State won, 21-10, in 2022

Last year’s record: 11-2, lost to Georgia in the CFP Peach Bowl semifinal

Early betting line (via Bet MBM): Ohio State -8.5

About Ohio State: The Buckeyes make their first appearance in South Bend since 1996. The biggest question mark for Ohio State is who replaces CJ Stroud at quarterback. Tristan Gebbia has the most experience on the Buckeyes roster entering his seventh season. He saw his most playing time in 2019 while at Oregon State.

Kyle McCord started a game as a true freshman in 2021 and has appeared in 12 games with 606 yards passing and three touchdowns.

The Buckeyes feature one of the more talented returning rosters with running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, as well as wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. Linebackers Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg are also back.