Notre Dame hosts SMU on November 21, 2026, renewing a series that dates back more than a century but has been played only intermittently. The two programs first met in 1915 and faced each other periodically through the 1950s before meeting again in the 1980s. While the matchup has not been a regular fixture, it reflects Notre Dame’s long-standing practice of scheduling nationally recognized programs from across the country.

On the field, Notre Dame leads the all-time series against SMU, 10–3. The most recent meeting came during the 1989 season, when the Irish defeated the Mustangs 59–6 in South Bend. That game capped a dominant stretch for Notre Dame in the modern era of the series. The 2026 matchup marks the first meeting between the schools in nearly four decades, adding a historical throwback element to the late-season schedule and reviving a long-dormant series.