Who did Notre Dame lose to this year? Revisiting shocking 0-2 start for Fighting Irish originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Not all losses are created equally. Rankings dominate the game of college football, with preseason polls setting the standard for the season, and giving early indicators for which teams are struggling or in a prime position for the season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEarly-season losses can drop teams early, but a lengthy win streak often helps them get back into the postseason picture. A loss in Week 1 doesn't nearly hurt a team's resume as much as a loss in the final week of the season.
This is the scenario Notre Dame is facing. The Fighting Irish, who remain independent, started their 2025 campaign with back-to-back losses. While it seemed that head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame were taking a step back, the Fighting Irish rattled off 10 consecutive wins to get back into the College Football Playoff picture.
Here is more on the two losses that Notre Dame suffered to start the 2025 season.
MORE: Forecasting the 2025 College Football Playoff
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWho did Notre Dame lose to in 2025?
The Fighting Irish, not being in a conference, have the freedom in their schedule that other programs don't. Notre Dame is an ACC member in other sports, so it does schedule ACC opponents throughout the year, but not the typical number a full-fledged conference member would. All told, Notre Dame played six ACC opponents and six non-conference opponents. The other unique thing about Notre Dame's schedule is that they don't play any FCS teams, and they've played only two non-Power-4 teams.
Notre Dame began the season with an ACC matchup against Miami. This revitalized the Catholics vs. Convicts historical matchup. Miami scored first and was in control most of the game. Notre Dame never led, but tied the game up at 24 points apiece. Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr had a seven-yard run for a touchdown with 3:21 left in the game.
Miami responded with a 2:17-second drive that resulted in Carter Davis hitting a 47-yard field goal with 1:04 left. Notre Dame ran four plays, but the results were an incompletion, a 12-yard completion, and then back-to-back sacks. The Fighting Irish got flagged for a false start with five seconds left and the 10-second run-off ended the game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNotre Dame then had its first off week and after it was at home against Texas A&M. The Fighting Irish blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown to get on the board. Notre Dame got out to a 17-7 lead, but after Texas A&M came back, the action was back and forth down the stretch.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love scored a 12-yard touchdown with 2:53 left in the game. It put the Fighting Irish up six points, and Freeman elected to go for the two-point conversion. The attempt failed. Texas A&M drove the field and quarterback Marcel Reed found Nate Boerkircher for an 11-yard touchdown with 13 seconds left in the game. Randy Bond knocked through the extra point and the Aggies won by a point.
MORE: Breaking down the Miami-Notre Dame debate in the 2025 College Football Playoff
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNotre Dame record 2025
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
August 31
at Miami
L, 27-24
0-1
September 13
vs. Texas A&M
L, 41-40
0-2
September 20
vs. Purdue
W, 56-30
1-2
September 27
at Arkansas
W, 56-13
2-2
October 4
vs. Boise State
W, 28-7
3-2
October 11
vs. NC State
W, 36-7
4-2
October 18
vs. USC
W, 34-24
5-2
November 1
at Boston College
W, 25-10
6-2
November 8
vs. Navy
W, 49-10
7-2
November 15
at Pittsburgh
W, 37-15
8-2
November 22
vs. Syracuse
W, 70-7
9-2
November 29
at Stanford
W, 49-20
10-2
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