Notre Dame is recent off a powerful run to the Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship, taking full benefit of the primary 12 months of the 12-team format whereas marching to Atlanta because the No. 7 seed. Because the calendar turns to the offseason, the entire focus now’s centered fully on whether or not the Combating Irish will run it again in 2025.
With how coach Marcus Freeman has recruited and developed expertise — Notre Dame has improved its win whole in every of their three years below his steerage — the Irish actually mission as one of many high groups in faculty soccer subsequent season. CBS Sports activities’ Dennis Dodd ranked Notre Dame No. 6 in his way-too-early Prime 25.
Now we all know the trail that Notre Dame should take again to the postseason because the Combating Irish not too long ago their whole 2025 slate of video games this previous week. Provided that Notre Dame is an impartial, the common season is its solely probability to construct a résumé for the choice committee to think about.
Notre Dame 2025 soccer schedule:
Notre Dame stacked its 2025 schedule with marquee video games towards energy convention opponents and a few current contenders from the Group of 5 stage. The Combating Irish must face off towards two SEC groups, two Massive Ten groups and 6 ACC groups in 2025.
Their schedule appears particularly front-loaded. They open the 12 months on the street towards a possible preseason top-10 group in Miami. That contest will give an early indication of both group’s standing, although, as Notre Dame demonstrated with its loss to Northern Illinois in 2024 that early season outcomes aren’t the be all, finish all for a season.
Notre Dame can have loads of possibilities to stack robust wins after that Miami recreation, and briefly order. The Irish host a doable top-15 group in Texas A&M on Sept. 15 and journey to Arkansas on Sept. 27. A house tilt towards historic rival Purdue is sandwiched between these two SEC clashes.
So, within the first month of the season, Notre Dame has to play two seemingly ranked opponents and three colleges from both the SEC or the Massive Ten. That is a primary alternative to stack significant wins and instantly bury any questions on energy of schedule — a hot-button matter anytime the Faculty Soccer Playoff is mentioned.
Notre Dame’s showdown towards Boise State the primary weekend of October is especially fascinating. The Broncos received 12 video games in 2024, captured the Mountain West championship and earned a first-round bye within the Faculty Soccer Playoff. They retained loads of expertise through the winter switch window, although they misplaced All-American operating again Ashton Jeanty to the NFL Draft and are shaping as much as be a Group of 5 entrance runner as soon as extra.
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Staying within the Group of 5 ranks, Notre Dame additionally hosts a Navy group that received 10 video games, capped by a victory towards Oklahoma within the Armed Forces Bowl, in 2024. The Midshipmen return star quarterback Blake Horvath, who completed the 2024 marketing campaign with 30 whole touchdowns.
Video games towards USC and Syracuse additionally stand out as important challenges later within the 12 months. The Orange, particularly, blew out all expectations by posting a 10-3 file of their first 12 months below coach Fran Brown. Given Brown’s fame as a recruiter, the expectation is that Syracuse will proceed to enhance yearly.
Total, in 2025, Notre Dame has to play 4 groups that received at the least 10 video games final season and 9 that certified for the postseason in some capability, be it the Faculty Soccer Playoff or a bowl recreation. All 5 of its away video games come towards Energy 4 opponents.
It is not going to be a simple street again for the Irish. That first month presents an amazing hurdle, and Notre Dame’s file in that four-game stretch will seemingly outline what sort of group the Combating Irish are in 2025.
However scheduling such a difficult slate does include some upside. Freeman’s squad ought to have loads of leeway because it navigates the trail — a lot in order that, on the naked minimal, a 10-win Notre Dame group looks as if a digital lock to make the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff subject.