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A Texas football versus Notre Dame matchup sounds more like a 2024 playoffs pairing, especially as top 10 programs. Both though, are in the process of facing each other down the road after this season.
The Longhorns and Fighting Irish football team are finalizing future matchups, according to Horns247Sports insider Chip Brown. He adds these contests will be for 2028 and 2029 as a home-and-home series.
The Longhorns have beefed their non-conference schedule up since 2017. USC agreed to a two-year series agreement for 2017-2018 under then Texas head coach Tom Herman. Texas later added LSU for the 2019 non-Big 12 Conference slate. Alabama (2022-2023) followed next, which came during the final years of Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban.
Michigan became the marquee non-conference foe for this season. But the Longhorns also set up future games against Ohio State starting in 2025. The Buckeyes come to Austin in 2026. The Wolverines return to Texas in 2027.
Both programs have cracked the top 10 with four regular season games left. The now No. 5 Longhorns regrouped after their letdown loss to Georgia that knocked them out of their No. 1 ranking. Texas held off a feisty No. 24 Vanderbilt team 27-24 Saturday in Nashville. Quarterback Quinn Ewers went from getting benched versus Georgia to throwing for 288 passing yards and three touchdowns but enduring two interceptions. DeAndre Moore led Texas through six catches for 97 yards and scored twice.
The Irish were on a bye week Saturday. The struggling Florida State Seminoles are next on deck in South Bend, with the ‘Noles bringing a dismal 1-8 record in tow. Texas hosts 4-4 Florida on Saturday.
Once this series is completed, Texas and Notre Dame will resume a long-awaited series that featured one double-overtime thriller.
Looking back at Texas-Notre Dame series
These powerhouse programs rich in alumni gridiron history have met 12 previous times.
Notre Dame currently owns the series lead at 9-3. However, Texas won the last battle in dramatic fashion.
The Longhorns and Fighting Irish engaged in a exhilarating back-and-forth in 2016 at Darnell K. Royal Stadium. Both teams exchanged leads an astonishing six times. Notre Dame even briefly erased a 31-14 deficit and lead 47-44. But Tyrone Swoopes gashed Notre Dame with his six-yard walk-off touchdown to win 50-47 in two overtimes.
Not every Texas-Notre Dame contest ended in a close battle. The latter won a very one-sided 38-3 game back in 2015 at South Bend. Will Fuller crossed the end zone twice against the Texas defense and finished with seven catches for 142 receiving yards. Former ND quarterback Malik Zaire completed 19-of-22 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns. The Fighting Irish even wore down Texas with 52 total carries for 214 rushing yards.
The two programs also met in the 1995 and 1996 campaigns. Notre Dame's '95 team, led by former head coach Lou Holtz, routed Texas 55-27 at home. Holtz and the Irish won a much closer 27-24 contest the next season in the state capitol of Texas.
Lastly, Texas and Notre Dame have met during bowl season. They met in the 1970, 1971 and 1978 Cotton Bowl. The Irish own a 2-1 series lead there.
