Notre dame faces wisconsin at lambeau field in shamrock series
Notre Dame Football’s 2026 Shamrock Series game presented by Credit Union 1 will now be played on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026 vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. The game was originally scheduled to be played in 2020 and was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic for Sept. 5, 2026. It has now been scheduled for a Sunday matchup. The game is the second installment of the two-game series with Wisconsin, the first of which was played at Soldier Field in 2021, with Notre Dame exploding for 31 unanswered fourth quarter points in a 41-13 victory. The highlight of the game was Chris Tyree’s 96-yard kickoff return that broke a 13-13 tie early in the 4th quarter.
Notre Dame will serve as the home team in this Shamrock Series game, the first game the Irish have played at Lambeau Field. The historic stadium has hosted just two college football games in history: St. Norbert vs. Fordham in 1983 and Wisconsin vs. LSU in 2016.
The Shamrock Series began in 2009 when Notre Dame started to ‘take a home game on the road’ in San Antonio. The Irish defeated Washington State, 40-14, in the Alamodome and have hosted 12 Shamrock Series games across the country, including Landover, Md; Chicago, Ill.; Arlington, Texas; Indianapolis, Ind., Las Vegas, Nev. and Bronx, N.Y..
The Shamrock Series has been an incredible resource in recruiting in these areas and the recent success in the Chicagoland area and Wisconsin will be bolstered by this matchup as the eyes of top high schoolers in he Midwest will be focused on two historical programs in one of the most historic venues in football.
Notre dame-clemson rivalry heats up with 12-game series
Two storied programs with national success and a history of memorable matchups, Notre Dame and Clemson, have agreed to a 12-game home-and-home contract to meet on the gridiron each season between 2027 and 2038. The two schools were already scheduled to meet in 2027 (at Clemson), 2028 (at Notre Dame), 2031 (at Clemson), 2034 (at Notre Dame) and 2037 (at Clemson) per the ACC’s schedule contract with Notre Dame. The agreement marks Notre Dame’s first new series of at least 12 games the program has started since 2002.
“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 Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics 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 two programs have met on eight prior occasions, including twice in the postseason. One of these postseason meetings was the 2020 ACC Championship, the only time Notre Dame Football has played in a conference.
The all-time series has a 5-3 Clemson record. At least one of the teams has been ranked in the top 15 in the nation entering all eight previous meetings, and five times both teams have been ranked entering the game, including three meetings of top five teams between 2018-20. The two schools have met four times in the regular season since 2015. The schools are 2-2 in those meetings with the home team winning each.
Notre Dame and Clemson have developed a bit of a football rivalry over the last decade, and that rivalry just jumped up as the Fighting Irish and Tigers announced a new 12-year scheduling agreement.
According to ESPN, the deal will start in 2027 and go through the 2038 season. There were already four games scheduled during this period, but now the budding rivalry becomes an annual occurrence.
The series could be of great benefit to the ACC as it transitions into an era where teams get rewarded with more money for higher TV ratings. This would also help Clemson, who has been in talks with the ACC to receive a greater share of revenue as the premier program in the conference. Playing Notre Dame on an annual basis gives the Tigers more leverage in those conversations. The Irish will gain another rivalry that over time could morph into what other rivalries like Michigan, Miami, and USC have been. USC head coach Lincoln Riley has hinted at ending the ND-USC rivalry in an effort to lessen the Trojans’ strength of schedule with nine conference games in the Big Ten.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips says the extra Clemson games not previously scheduled will not count towards Notre Dame's five-game commitment to the ACC.
Take 2036, for example: Notre Dame had Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State., Pitt and North Carolina rotating in as its ACC opponents. The year 2036 may be a lifetime away in college football the way things have changed recently, but it would see Notre Dame face those teams in addition to Clemson on the schedule.
riley leonard nabbed by colts in sixth round of nfl draft
Quarterback Riley Leonard was selected in the sixth round with the 189th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. Leonard is the ninth Notre Dame player all-time to be drafted to Indianapolis and the first since Quenton Nelson in 2018.
Leonard was the piece missing for Marcus Freeman and his Fighting Irish as they endured early season adversity and eventually making an impressive run to a CFP National Title game appearance. During that process, Leonard experience his own personal adversity as he worked feverishly to become acclimated to the requirements of playing quarterback in offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock\s offense. He would be named the Offensive MVP of the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl along the way, and was a semifinalist for the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year award.
Leonard spent one season with the Irish after transferring from Duke University and was named a team captain despite missing the spring as he rehabbed an injured foot. In 16 games, he completed 269 passes for 2,861 yards and 21 touchdowns, in addition to 184 rushing attempts for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns. Leonard finished responsible for 230 points in 2024, ranking second on the all-time Notre Dame single season list only behind Brady Quinn. Leonard’s 906 rushing yards this season surpassed Tony Rice’s school-record for a single-season quarterback rushing yards of 884 from 1989.
At the end of the 2024 season, Leonard ranked second among all active FBS quarterbacks in career rushing touchdowns with 36. His 17 rushing touchdowns in 2024 broke Brandon Wimbush’s (14) Notre Dame single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Leonard’s 17 rushing touchdowns this season ranked 12th in the nation among all FBS players and tied for fifth among all quarterbacks.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard glowingly about his new quarterback as he met with the media, emphasizing his potential and leadership qualities. Ballard and the Colts see Leonard as a player who can compete and potentially develop into a starting quarterback, while also providing valuable depth and competition to the quarterback room alongside Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.
Seahawks select riley mills in 5th round
Defensive lineman Rylie Mills was selected in the fifth round with the 142nd overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. Mills is the 11th Notre Dame player all-time to be drafted to Seattle and the first since 2016 C.J. Prosise in 2016. He joins former Irish safety Julian Love on the Seahawks roster.
Mills will continue to rehab his injured knee, but the similarity to the Fighting Irish scheme should make for a smooth transition to the Seahawks' defensive scheme. He is expected to learn from veteran players like Leonard Williams and is expected to return by the end of the 2025 NFL season if all goes well with rehab.
He was an undeniable force on an Irish defense that finished the season first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).
Mills importance was evident in the CFP matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers when he dominated for two and a half quarters before suffering a season-ending injury while collecting a sack early in the third quarter of Notre Dame’s 27-17 victory. The Fighting Irish advanced to the national championship game, but their inability to consistently stop the run game against Penn State in the Orange Bowl and Ohio State in the CFP national championship game highlighted Mills’ absence as a leader and force in the middle of the defensive line.
Mills ranked tied for ninth all-time in career sacks in Notre Dame records with 17.0 on his career. He was the 14th Notre Dame player to record 15 or more sacks in his career. He was named a second-team All-American in 2024 by The Sporting News and ESPN.
In 2024, Mills played in 13 games and totaled 7.5 sacks and 8.5 TFL, with 37 tackles total. His season highlight came in the win vs. Florida State, when he posted three sacks, two coming on back-to-back plays. Mills was twice named to The Athletic’s “Freaks List” in 2023 and 2024.
Jack Kiser Selected in fourth round by jaguars
Notre Dame team captain Jack Kiser has been selected in the fourth round with the 107th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. Kiser is the sixth Notre Dame player all-time to be drafted to Jacksonville and the first since Sheldon Day in 2016. He joins former Irish OL Robert Hainsey on the Jaguars roster.
Kiser completed his sixth season playing for the Irish in 2024 and led the team to wins in the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl, as well as a National Championship appearance. He holds the record for most games ever played at Notre Dame with 70 games played. Former Notre Dame QB Malik Zaire is amazed with what the defensive leader has accomplished and talked about it on Lucky Lefty Podcast.
“This will never be done again,” Zaire shared. “Seventy games is crazy. It just shows how committed he is to being the best version of himself and how he puts the program and team before everything. That record is going to stand forever. No one is going to eclipse that.”
Kiser notched 275 career tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, four interceptions (two pick-sixes), 11 passes defended, six forced fumbles and a blocked kick over his career.
He was the leader of a dominant Notre Dame defense this past with 90 tackles and comes on the tails of his 65 tackles in the 2023 season placed him third among Irish defenders and his 58 tackles in 2022 ranked him second on the team. He has been a model of consistency for a Notre Dame defense that peaked as one of the best defenses against the pass ranking fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).
Kiser led and participated in several community-facing initiatives during his time at Notre Dame. He twice served as the player committee chairman for the program’s Cleats For a Cause initiative, and he served as the Fighting Irish Fight for Life football team lead for the past three years. Additionally, Kiser worked with local low-income families to perform tax returns this past spring on a weekly basis leading up to Tax Day. He has also made an impact in his home community, as he visited his former youth football team to surprise local kids from his area, spend time with the team, and give them tickets to a Notre Dame Football game.
Xavier Watts Selected in 2nd round of nfl draft by falcons
Xavier Watts was selected in the third round with the 96th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. The 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner and team captain joins former Irish players JD Bertrand and Khalid Kareem in tlanta, and he is the second player drafted in two years by the Falcons (Bertrand). Watts is the 13th Notre Dame player all-time to be drafted by Atlanta.
This gives Notre Dame two players drafted in the top 100 picks of the NFL Draft, and makes them one of two teams to have two defensive backs selected in the top 100 along with Texas. The last time the Fighting Irish had the same success was in 1994 with Jeff Burris and Willie Clark.
Watts did nothing to dispel his 2nd round projection at Notre Dame's Pro Day. He participated in three events and cemented his status as a Day 2 pick. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds.
The talented safety is one of the most decorated Notre Dame football players in program history, Watts won the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy recognizing the best defensive player in college football, and is a two-time consensus All-American.
Over his career, Watts totaled 13 interceptions, the most by a Notre Dame player since 1996. His 13 interceptions over the last two seasons were the most by any FBS player during that span; the next closest players had nine.
Watts started his 33rd consecutive game at the CFP National Championship, the second-most for an Irish safety in program history (Jalen Elliott, 39 from 2017-19) and the 11th-most for any defensive player in Notre Dame history.He ranked ninth among active FBS players in consecutive starts in the secondary with 33.
Benjamin Morrison selected in 2nd round of nfl draft by bucs
Benjamin Morrison was selected in the second round with the 53rd overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday. The first Notre Dame player selected in the 2025 Draft, Morrison becomes the highest Irish defensive back selected in the NFL Draft since Kyle Hamilton (2022). Morrison was surrounded by Fighting Irish teammates Karson Hobbs, Christian Gray, and Adon Shuler as he received the phone call from the Buccaneers.
A 2024 team captain, Morrison led the Irish with six interceptions in 2022, earning consensus Freshman All-America honors. Morrison added three more interceptions to his career total in the 2023 season and owns the second-most for a Notre Dame player since 1996, behind teammate Xavier Watts.
Before his senior season was abruptly ended due to injury, Morrison amassed four pass breakups and 20 tackles in just six games. He continued to serve as a leader on defense for the Irish as they made their run to the CFP National Title game, as Notre Dame’s defense finished the season first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).
Morrison was not an on-field participant at the NFL Combine, but held a private workout attended by 29 NFL teams at Brophy Prep (AZ), where he starred in high school. He had more than enough college film to warrant a first-round grade, but the inability to workout at the combine and some injury concerns more than likely led to a slight drop in the draft.