Notre Dame Extends Stanford Rivalry and Adds Kent State, Filling Out Dominant 2027 and 2028 Schedules
Notre Dame is putting the finishing touches on two of the most anticipated schedules in recent program history, announcing a pair of additions that bring both the 2027 and 2028 seasons into clear focus. The Fighting Irish have added Stanford to both schedules while also slotting in Kent State for 2027 — and for a program that has absolutely owned the Stanford rivalry under head coach Marcus Freeman, the extension of that matchup is very good news for Notre Dame fans.
The Stanford Rivalry — A Series Notre Dame Has Made Its Own
The headline move is the extension of Notre Dame's storied rivalry with Stanford, a series that was previously scheduled to conclude after the 2026 season. Instead, the Irish and Cardinal will keep meeting, with Notre Dame traveling to Stanford to close out the 2027 season before hosting Stanford in South Bend on October 14th, 2028.
Notre Dame holds a commanding 25-14 all-time record in the series, but what makes this extension particularly exciting is what Marcus Freeman's era has looked like against the Cardinal. Under Freeman, Notre Dame has turned this rivalry into something resembling a mismatch — the Irish have won the last three meetings by an average score of 51.3 to 16.7, a level of dominance that is as emphatic as it sounds.
The most recent chapter was written in 2025, when Notre Dame traveled to Stanford's home field and left with a resounding 49-20 victory. That kind of road performance against a program with Stanford's tradition and facilities sends a message — and Notre Dame delivered it with authority.
The one blemish in Freeman's record against Stanford came in 2022, when the Cardinal handed the Irish an early-tenure loss that served as a humbling moment for a program still finding its footing under its new head coach. Freeman and his staff took that lesson to heart. What followed was a string of increasingly dominant performances that erased any doubt about who owned this rivalry. The 2022 result now looks less like a sign of things to come and more like the last gasp of a series that Notre Dame has since locked firmly in its grip.
Extending the rivalry means Notre Dame fans get more of what has become one of the most lopsided — and satisfying — matchups on the Irish schedule. If the trend under Freeman continues, Stanford is going to have a very difficult time in both 2027 and 2028.
A Loaded 2027 Schedule Taking Shape
With Stanford now locked in, Notre Dame will face five ACC opponents during the 2027 season — a reflection of the Irish's unique scheduling arrangement with the conference. That slate includes the beginning of Notre Dame's highly anticipated 10-year series against Clemson, which kicks off October 7th inside Notre Dame Stadium. Add in matchups against a pair of Big Ten programs in Purdue and Michigan State, an SEC showdown with Auburn, BYU out of the Big 12, and the annual rivalry with Navy, and the 2027 schedule is shaping up to be one of the most diverse and challenging in college football.
The Kent State addition rounds out the home schedule in a way that carries a personal storyline. Notre Dame will host the Golden Flashes on October 2nd in what will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The connection, of course, is that Marcus Freeman spent two seasons coaching at Kent State early in his career — 2011 and 2012 — helping lay the foundation for what has become one of the most celebrated coaching rises in recent college football history. Freeman returning to South Bend to face his old stomping grounds, now as the head coach of Notre Dame, adds a layer of meaning to what might otherwise be a straightforward home game.
2027 Schedule
Sep. 4 — Purdue
Sep. 18 — at Michigan State
Sep. 25 — Auburn
Oct. 2 — Kent State
Oct. 9 — vs. Wake Forest (Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC)
Oct. 30 — at Clemson
Nov. 6 — Virginia Tech
Nov. 20 — Navy
Nov. 27 — at Stanford
TBD — Georgia Tech
TBD — BYU
2028 Shaping Up as an SEC-Heavy Challenge
The 2028 schedule is building toward something formidable as well. Notre Dame will now face six ACC opponents that year with both Stanford and Clemson on the books, while also navigating a brutal three-game SEC stretch that includes Texas, Auburn and Arkansas. Purdue returns to the schedule along with the perennial Navy rivalry game, while Boston College, Miami and Pittsburgh still need dates assigned.
2028 Schedule
Sep. 9 — Texas
Sep. 16 — Arkansas
Sep. 23 — at Purdue
Oct. 7 — Clemson
Oct. 14 — Stanford
Oct. 28 — at Auburn
Nov. 4 — at Virginia Tech
Nov. 18 — at Navy
TBD — Boston College
TBD — Miami (Fla.)
TBD — Pittsburgh
The Bottom Line
Notre Dame now has 11 games scheduled for each of the next two seasons, and the picture being painted is one of a program that isn't afraid to schedule anybody. The Stanford extension is the cherry on top — a rivalry that Marcus Freeman has turned into a showcase of Irish dominance, with one early stumble in 2022 long since buried under a avalanche of blowout victories. Notre Dame fans should be circling both Stanford dates on the calendar with confidence. If Freeman's track record against the Cardinal tells us anything, the Irish will be ready.
