Notre Dame Football 2024: Complete Game-by-Game Predictions and Analysis

Going through the Notre Dame football schedule, a look at how the Irish will fare in 2024

Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame spring football practice Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend. / GREG SWIERCZ / USA TODAY NETWORK

2024 is going to be a year like none other we've seen in college football.

The expanded playoff combined with major conference realignment means we'll see things we haven't ever seen this fall as everything will be about making the field of 12.

What does 2024 look like for that program that still hasn't taken the bait and jumped into a conference?

Will Marcus Freeman find magic in year three as Notre Dame's head coach like many who have held the post previously have done before? Or will year-three be a disappointment for him and the Fighting Irish?

Let's take a game-by-game journey to see what's in store for Notre Dame in 2024.

Week 1 - Notre Dame at Texas A&M

Sep 23, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; A general view of fans during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field. / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

This game is easily the most difficult on Notre Dame's schedule for me to predict. The only thing I'm certain of is that offensive points are going to be hard to come by. This one honestly feels like a coin flip. Marcus Freeman's biggest road win as Notre Dame head coach came against Duke last year.

The good news? Mike Elko coached that Duke team.
The bad news? It was Duke.

Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Texas A&M 21, Notre Dame 20

Week 2 - Notre Dame vs. Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois isn't trotting Jordan Lynch or Michael Turner out there. Irish start slow after Texas A&M hangover, only to pull away in second half.

Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Northern Illinois 10

Week 3 - Notre Dame at Purdue

Sep 14, 2013; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back C.J. Prosise (20) carries the ball as Purdue Boilermakers cornerback Frankie Williams (24) defends in the third quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Notre Dame won 31-24. / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue is going to challenge for the 18th spot in the Big Ten this season but will get its ducks in a row for one afternoon and make this interesting for longer than it should be.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Purdue 14

Week 4 - Notre Dame vs. Miami University

The always quotable Chuck Martin returns to Notre Dame Stadium as Miami's head coach. The reigning MAC champions are no match as Notre Dame plays its best game to date.

Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 42, Miami 10

Week 5 - Notre Dame vs. Louisville

Notre Dame's biggest disappointment from 2023 turns into a revenge type showing as this time it is the Irish dominating the second half and moving to 4-1.

Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Louisville 17

Week 7 - Notre Dame vs. Stanford

Two years ago Notre Dame's home loss against Stanford had fans wondering if Marcus Freeman was Bob Davie 2.0. This time Notre Dame's outcome will be more much in line with last year's road rout.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Stanford 7

Week 8 - Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)

Georgia Tech is America's sweetheart after upsetting Florida State in Week 0 but Haynes King still has turnover issues that Notre Dame will take advantage of. More on Florida State in a minute...


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Georgia Tech 17

Week 9 - Notre Dame vs. Navy (MetLife Stadium)

Marcus Freeman has Navy figured out as Notre Dame has outscored the Midshipmen 111-41 and it wouldn't have been that close had Tommy Rees called anything creative in the second half of the 2022 contest. Another rout is in store.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Navy 6

Week 11 - Notre Dame vs. Florida State

The Florida State Seminoles and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish met for the 9th time on Saturday in South Bend. The Fighting Irish delt a blow out to the Seminoles, and with a 42-13 deafeat Florida State's 36 bowl-streak is at jeopardy once more. Fsuvsnd Asfsview 111018 19 / Andrew Salinero/FSView

Florida State is 2-9 in games coached by Mike Norvell when Jordan Travis isn't the starting quarterback. Was Georgia Tech great in Week 0 or Florida State more loaded with issues than anyone wanted to say in the preseason? Notre Dame has put a whopping on a big name program under the lights the last two years under Marcus Freeman. This becomes number three.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Florida State 14

Week 12 - Notre Dame vs. Virginia

Oct 14, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Chris Tyree (4) catches a pass for a touchdown in the third quarter against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

The Chris Tyree Bowl as the former Notre Dame speedster returns with Virginia is never very interesting. Talent shows in a big way.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 49, Virginia 10

Week 13 - Notre Dame vs. Army (Yankee Stadium)

Much like the Navy game, this one will be played in the northeast and won't be interesting outside of the special uniforms and unique venue.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Army 3

Week 14 - Notre Dame at USC

I don't buy USC being as down as some others have made the Trojans out to be but one thing about Lincoln Riley teams is certainly true: Regardless of the defensive coordinator, the unit is never a force. It's a West coast shootout but Notre Dame prevails.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 42, USC 34

College Football Playoff Round 1 - No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Penn State

The once great annual rivalry gets renewed for the first time since 2007. Penn State sneaks in with a 10-2 regular season record but under James Franklin, the Nittany Lions again fail to win any big game it isn't supposed to. That occurs in the first round of the College Football Playoff as Drew Allar throws three interceptions.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Penn State 17

College Football Playoff Round 2 - No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Utah

Marcus Freeman and Gerad Parker are with Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig (center) at the Notre Dame hockey game tonight.

Ludwig is in South Bend to interview for the Irish’s open offensive coordinator job. He arrived earlier this evening. pic.twitter.com/c4IqmEcX5r

— Patrick Engel (@PatrickEngel_) February 11, 2023

The Andy Ludwig Bowl gets played with a spot in the national semi-final on the line. In a game between two teams that are built very similar, the one with more talent prevails. Notre Dame is headed to the national semi-final.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Utah 21

College Football Playoff National Semi-Final: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Ohio State

Ohio State gets the two-seed after rallying after a road loss to Oregon in mid-October. The best team money can buy in college football prevails, beating Notre Dame for a third-straight season and ending title dreams for the Irish.


Nick Shepkowski's Game Prediction: Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 21

Notre Dame Football's 2024 Schedule - Final Thoughts:

This schedule sets up perfectly for Notre Dame. Sure, the toughest regular season game comes in Week 1 but it comes against a very beatable team (even though I have the Irish falling). A young offensive line has a lot of time to gel together before mid-season games against Louisville and Georgia Tech while Florida State appears to have more issues than previously thought.

Getting the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the playoff means so much for Notre Dame not just because of getting a home playoff game but because of the potential second matchup as well.

I don't think this is a true national championship level team quite yet but that doesn't mean Notre Dame won't make it an incredibly memorable fall.

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