College Football: Notre Dame And Clemson Announce 12-Game Scheduling Agreement
The Fighting Irish and Tigers will face off every year from 2027 through 2038.
The University of Notre Dame and Clemson University announced earlier today that they had finalized a 12-year scheduling agreement that will see the Tigers and Fighting Irish play each other every year from 2027 to 2038.
“We strive to consistently create a football schedule that positions us for success in the College Football Playoff, and that goal requires us to form historic partnerships like this one with Clemson,” said Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua. “This rivalry has already produced some of the most memorable moments in recent college football history, and our fans deserve these matchups to continue to make those indelible memories.”
The Tigers and Fighting Irish have played each other eight times previously, with Clemson holding a 5-3 lead in the series. Most recently, the programs faced off in 2023, when the Tigers beat the Fighting Irish at home 31-23.
The tangible definition of big game x1️⃣2️⃣☘️
Notre Dame. Clemson. 2027-2038.#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/Z1fqyDrWfE
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) May 6, 2025
“Even in just the last decade, matchups between Clemson and Notre Dame have produced incredibly memorable moments and games,” said Clemson’s director of athletics, Graham Neff. “We have immense excitement for the creation of this 12-year series between these two premier programs, as we know these will be must-see matchups for fans at Memorial Stadium and Notre Dame Stadium as well as television audiences nationwide.”
These squads have met twice in the postseason. In 2018, Clemson defeated Notre Dame 30-3 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Two years later, the Tigers and Fighting Irish met in the ACC Championship Game, where Clemson won 34-10.
“It’s been such a great rivalry and we want to see it happen every year,” Bevacqua told ESPN. “It’s historically been a great back-and-forth. I think we could see it continue to develop into one of the great rivalries in college football.”
When Clemson’s iconic orange Tiger Paw helmets have lined up against Notre Dame’s golden domes, memorable moments and soundbites have followed. A new 12-game annual series between the Tigers and Irish starts in Death Valley in 2027. pic.twitter.com/7cHKOSbrRR
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) May 6, 2025
Other schools even offered their opinions on this new series. Florida State University’s athletic director, Michael Alford, told ESPN that this type of matchup is “important.”
“Today in college football, more than ever, it’s important for strong brands to play strong brands,” Alford explained. “That helps our brand, as well as all of us within the conference. We’ve been consistent in that belief for a while now as you can see in our nonconference scheduling philosophy. It’s important for our conference and our media partners.”
“This locks in a huge rivalry for us with a nonconference opponent that’s going to be strong year in and year out,” Neff said. “The association of national brands like Clemson and Notre Dame create a great fan experience, strong viewership and value on that is obviously a fundamental component.”