Notre Dame’s 2026 schedule has drawn criticism for lacking competitive depth, though the Irish’s future opponents could present more challenges as the season unfolds. Through two weeks, the Fighting Irish have established themselves as a dominant force, dispatching Wisconsin 42-13 in their opener before blanking Rice 52-0 at home. This week brings a rivalry matchup with Michigan State to South Bend.
A review of Notre Dame’s scheduled opponents reveals mixed results in Week 2 action. Michigan State emerged undefeated with a 35-7 victory over Eastern Michigan, while BYU maintained its perfect record by defeating Arizona 28-17 and currently holds the 11th ranking nationally. North Carolina and SMU also recorded victories, with the Mustangs earning a 56-10 win and climbing to 16th in the polls. Miami continued its strong season with a dominant 77-7 performance against FAMU and sits at fifth nationally.
However, several of Notre Dame’s future opponents stumbled in Week 2. Purdue fell to Wake Forest 38-36, Navy lost to FAU 38-30, Stanford suffered a lopsided defeat to Miami 45-6, and Syracuse dropped a close contest to Cal 21-18. Wisconsin, Rice, Boston College, and North Carolina all sit at 1-1 records following their second-week matchups.
Despite the perception of a softer schedule, Notre Dame enters its rivalry game with Michigan State as the overwhelming favorite. The Irish remain positioned as national championship contenders, though the strength of their remaining opponents will continue to draw scrutiny from analysts and fans alike.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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