Top Venues Notre Dame Football Must Visit

Notre Dame is one of the most recognizable brands in college football, and combined with their independence, they can play anywhere they want. The Fighting Irish have played at countless stadiums across the country and are scheduled for even more neutral sites in the future. There are still many stadiums that the Irish have yet to visit and others which they should make a return trip.

Allegiant Stadium

  • Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Home Team: Las Vegas Raiders
  • Potential Opponent: BYU Cougars

With the Raiders move to Las Vegas, a new destination for Notre Dame Football arose, and BYU is the most likely opponent. The Irish still owe the Cougars a trip to Provo. Since Notre Dame has joined the ACC for five games each fall, the schedule has filled up. Many on both sides are adamite that the final game of the series will be played.

Will Notre Dame want to make a road trip to LaVell Edwards Stadium soon? That is uncertain, but the Irish may be more inclined to play in Las Vegas closer to BYU. A Shamrock Series Game in Las Vegas would surely be a lure.

Wrigley Field

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Home Team: Chicago Cubs
  • Possible opponent: Northwestern Wildcats

Yes, Northwestern and Illinois played here back in 2010, and they were forced to only play with a single endzone. However, with key renovations, past obstacles are gone. Wrigley Field’s bullpens are no longer on the field, the dugout top can be removed, and several rows of seating at the back of the endzone are detachable. Overall, the field is more football friendly.

The Wildcats are set to play at Wrigley November 7, 2020 against the Wisconsin Badgers. If the matchup is successful and teams can play both directions, Jack Swarbrick should strongly consider a Shamrock Series at Wrigley.

Rose Bowl Stadium

  • Location: Pasadena, California
  • Home Team: UCLA Bruins
  • Potential Opponent: UCLA Bruins

The Rose Bowl Game is between a Pac-12 school and Big Ten team and is often a location for the College Football Playoffs. Notre Dame has played in one Rose Bowl, and that took place against Stanford in 1925. But that does not mean the Irish have not played in the Rose Bowl Stadium itself because it is also the home of the UCLA Bruins. 

Notre Dame and the UCLA Bruins squared-off back in 2007 at the famous Rose Bowl, where the Irish were sadly 0-5 at the time. The Irish need to make a return trip back to the stadium under better circumstances, since the Rose Bowl Stadium is recognized as the best venue for college football.

NRG Stadium

  • Location: Houston, Texas
  • Home Team: Houston Texans
  • Potential Opponent: TCU Horned frogs

Notre Dame has traveled to the state of Texas many times throughout Brian Kelly’s tenure. The team has played at the Alamo Dome (2), Cowboys Stadium (2), Sun Bowl, and Darren K royal Stadium. NRG Stadium would be an excellent location for the program to make the venture back. The venue has already hosted two Super Bowls since it opened in 2002.

Who would be a good matchup? Gary Patterson’s Horned Frogs come to mind. The Fighting Irish have only faced TCU once, and this could make for a historic clash.

Old Trafford

  • Location: Manchester, England
  • Home Team: Manchester United
  • Potential Opponent: Boston College Eagles

Notre Dame Football has made two trips to Ireland and has a third trip on the calendar in 2020, as of now. The NFL goes across the Atlantic each season and always play at the new Wembley Stadium. But for the Irish, the historic Old Trafford may be a more appropriate destination. It may only be fitting that the most historic college football program play in England’s most historic soccer field.

Boston College and the Navy Midshipmen would be two potential teams that would make the trip overseas. The Eagles are located on the East Coast and a longtime rival, it would be an easier flight for them than most schools.

Levi’s Stadium

  • Location: Santa Clara, California
  • Home Team: San Francisco 49ers
  • Potential Opponent: Navy Midshipmen

Each year Notre Dame travels to California, whether they are facing the Stanford Cardinal or USC Trojans. Levi’s Stadium would be a perfect neutral site game for the matchup with Navy. 

In 2018, the Irish faced Navy in San Diego, and it was quite successful. Although this location is not as close to the Navy’s large naval base in San Diego, there will undoubtedly be many football fans at this location as well.

Autzen Stadium

  • Location: Eugene, Oregon
  • Home Team: Oregon Ducks
  • Potential Opponent: Oregon Ducks

Why Oregon? This would be a fantastic clash because of the opponent and the venue itself. The Oregon Ducks have played in two national title games in the last decade and are consistently near the top of the Pac-12. The pageantry of Notre Dame vs. the new “swagger” of Oregon would make for a great series.

Bristol Motor Speedway

  • Location: Bristol, Tennessee
  • Home Events: NASCAR and other motor sports
  • Potential Opponent: Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee and Virginia Tech faced off at this racetrack back in 2016, where the attendance was close to 157,000. It would take a lot of work to pull this game off, but as a one-time event, it would be worth it.

The likely opponent for this matchup would be the Tennessee Volunteers because of location. Notre Dame has not faced the Volunteers since 2005, and this would be a tremendous excuse to put them back on the schedule.

Other Considerations: Albertsons Stadium (Boise State), Amon G. Carter Stadium (TCU), Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Florida), Century Link Field (Seattle), Gillette Stadium (Foxborough), McLane Stadium (Baylor), Raymond James Stadium (Tampa Bay)

Final Thoughts 

This fall, the Irish will make their first trip to Bank of America Stadium, Lambeau Field, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. There are many stadiums across the country that the Irish have yet to visit. Every Irish fan has a location they want Notre Dame to visit, whether it is closer to where they live or the home of their favorite pro sports team. Several of the locations mentioned in this article are realistic, while others are more of a “wish list” that fans would enjoy.

 

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6 Comments

  1. Not sure how the season will work out for fans but I hope to be in Charlotte and ATL this fall for those games. Bristol wouldn’t be bad but putting up with that many drunk UT fans kinda makes me want to just stay home.

  2. It will never happen because of its 38,000 seating capacity, but Michie Stadium, one of the most scenic stadiums in the country, would be awesome.

    1. Notre Dame played at Michie Stadium in 1973, with the Irish winning 62-3. I was there as a 10-year-old. What a great venue!

  3. I would like to add US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It has hosted a Super Bowl and a Final Four. It would be a great venue.

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