No. 4Notre Dame closed out its 2020-21 season with a second straight loss, this time to top-ranked Alabama in the Rose Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Quarterback Ian Book finished 27-of-39 for 284 total yards and a rushing touchdown whileKyren Williams added 64 rushing yards and a touchdown in a 31-14 loss. The Fighting Irish finished the year 10-2.
Here is the complete 2020 Notre Dame football schedule, including opponents, results and players to watch.
2020 Notre Dame football schedule: Dates, times, opponents, results
Here is the full, detailed schedule for Notre Dame's 2020football season,with broadcastinformationand results.Scroll to the right to view the entire table below.
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV | Location | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | Saturday, Sept. 12 | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | Notre Dame, IN | W, 27-13 |
| South Florida | Saturday, Sept. 19 | 2:30 p.m. | USA | Notre Dame, IN | W, 52-0 |
| Florida State | Saturday, Oct. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | NBC | Notre Dame, IN | W, 42-26 |
| Louisville | Saturday, Oct. 17 | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | Notre Dame, IN | W, 12-7 |
| at Pittsburgh | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | Pittsburgh, PA | W, 45-3 |
| at Georgia Tech | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | Atlanta, GA | W, 31-13 |
| Clemson | Saturday, Nov. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | NBC | Notre Dame, IN | W, 47-40 |
| at Boston College | Saturday, Nov. 14 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | Chestnut Hill, MA | W, 45-31 |
| at North Carolina | Friday, Nov. 27 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | Chapel Hill, NC | W, 31-17 |
| Syracuse | Saturday, Dec. 5 | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | Notre Dame, IN | W, 45-21 |
| ACC Championship Game | Saturday, Dec. 19 | 4 p.m. | ABC | Charlotte, NC | L, 34-10 |
| No. 1 Alabama (College Football Playoff) | Friday, Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. ET | ESPN | Arlington, TX | L, 31-14 |
Note: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all games, dates and times are subject to change.
2019 results
The Fighting Irish went 11-2 last year, highlighted bya six-game winning streak to close the season. Notre Dame beat Iowa State 33-9 in the Camping World Bowl.
Here’s what happened in every game of Notre Dame's 2019schedule:
| OPPONENT | DATE | TIME (ET) | LOCATION | RESULT | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | Monday, Sept. 2 | 8:00 p.m. | Louisville, KY | W | 35-17 |
| New Mexico | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 2:30 p.m. | Notre Dame, IN | W | 66-14 |
| Georgia | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 8:00 p.m. | Athens, GA | L | 23-17 |
| Virginia | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Notre Dame, IN | W | 35-20 |
| Bowling Green | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 3:30 p.m. | Notre Dame, IN | W | 52-0 |
| USC | Saturday, Oct. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Notre Dame, IN | W | 30-27 |
| Michigan | Saturday, Oct. 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Ann Arbor, MI | L | 45-14 |
| Virginia Tech | Saturday, Nov. 2 | 2:30 p.m. | Notre Dame, IN | W | 21-20 |
| Duke | Saturday, Nov. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Durham, NC | W | 38-7 |
| Navy | Saturday, Nov. 16 | 2:30 p.m. | Notre Dame, IN | W | 52-20 |
| Boston College | Saturday, Nov. 23 | 2:30 p.m. | Notre Dame, IN | W | 40-7 |
| Stanford | Saturday, Nov. 30 | 4 p.m. | Stanford, CA | W | 45-24 |
| Iowa State (Camping World Bowl) | Saturday, Dec. 28 | 12 p.m. | Orlando, FL | W | 33-9 |
MORE: Programs with the most national championships
Top returning players
Quarterback Ian Bookbroke out in2019 as the full-time starter at Notre Dame. He helped the Fighting Irish reach the College Football Playoff two years ago on a team that was driven by defense. With the spotlight on Book, he threw for 3,034 yards and 34 touchdowns to six interceptions. The jumpBook takes from last year to the current season could determine how far Notre Dame goes. For what it's worth, he's 11-1 against ACC teams with the only loss to Clemson in a 2019 CFP semifinal.
Book's biggest adjustment in 2020 mightbe establishing a top target. The Fighting Irish lost its top three receivers from a year ago as Chase Claypool and Cole Kmet were NFL Draft picksand Chris Finke graduated. Junior tight endTommy Tremblecould be the next breakout pass-catcher in South Bend. Kmet caught only 15 passes two years before hauling in 43 for 515 yards and six touchdowns. Tremble had 14 catches and four touchdowns last year. Don't be too surprised ifTremble takes a similar step forward.
You can't talk Notre Dame football without talking about the defense. The Fighting Irish allowed the third fewest passing yards per game last season. If they're going to continue to dominate opposing quarterbacks, look to sophom*ore safety Kyle Hamiltonto lead the charge. Hamilton led the Irish with four interceptions as a freshman, bringing one back for a touchdown. He also made 41 tackles and broke up six additional passes.
Preseason ranking
We have Notre Dame at No. 11 in our preseason Top 25. Here’s the breakdown:
11. Notre Dame
After a blowout loss to rival Michigan, the Irish quietly won out to go 11-2 one season after making the College Football Playoff. With QB Ian Book's return, Notre Dame should be potent on offense. And the defense should be strong, though the secondary is the biggest question mark there. But there's a new twist this year:Notre Dame will be eligible for the 2020 ACC title game.
LATEST RANKINGS: AP Top 25
2020-21College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff era is entering its seventh season in the 2020-21season. LSU won thenational championshipin its inaugural appearance. Notre Dame has been selected once — 2019—through the first six years of the CFP. Could theFighting Irish's 2020 football affiliation with the ACC help them becomeone of thetop four teams?
Here are the dates and sites for the 2020College Football Playoff semifinals and CFP national championship.
MORE:Burrow, LSU dominate Clemson to win 2020 CFP championship
When arethe College Football Playoff semifinals?
The CFP semifinals are set for Jan. 1, 2021. One semifinal is the Rose Bowl atRose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. The other semifinal is the Sugar Bowl atMercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
When is the 2021College Football Playoff national championship?
The CFP national championship is a bit later in 2021. The two winners of the semifinals will meet on the second Monday of January in Miamion Jan. 11, 2020 at Hard Rock Stadium
Below is a complete history of the College Football Playoff national championship game.
| YEAR (OF GAME) | GAME |
|---|---|
| 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 |
| 2016 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 |
| 2017 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 |
| 2018 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 |
| 2019 | No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 |
| 2020 | No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 |
2021-2024 CFP national championship locations and dates
2021: Miami-South Florida (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida) - Jan. 11
2022: Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana) - Jan. 10
2023: Los Angeles (Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, California) - Jan. 9
2024: Houston (NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas) - Jan. 8
