Texas Casts Doubt on Future Notre Dame Football Series

Texas athletic director's comments raise questions about the scheduled home-and-home matchups between the Fighting Irish and Longhorns.

Feb. 24, 2026 at 9:07pm

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Notre Dame's future football schedule includes a home-and-home series with Texas in 2028 and 2029, but recent comments from Texas athletic director Chris del Conte have cast doubt on whether that series will actually take place. Del Conte stated that 'everything is fluid right now' regarding the Notre Dame games, as Texas is focused on scheduling Power Five opponents to help its chances of making the College Football Playoff.

Why it matters

The potential cancellation of the Notre Dame-Texas series would be a significant blow to Notre Dame's future schedules, which already face challenges due to the growing emphasis on conference play and making the playoff. The Fighting Irish have faced criticism over their schedules, and losing a marquee non-conference matchup would only add to those concerns.

The details

Texas recently backed out of a scheduled home-and-home series with Arizona State in 2032 and 2033. When asked about the Notre Dame series, Texas AD Chris del Conte said 'everything is fluid right now because I don't know exactly.' This raises questions about whether the Longhorns will follow through on the 2028 and 2029 games against the Fighting Irish.

  • The Notre Dame-Texas series is scheduled for 2028 (in South Bend) and 2029 (in Austin).
  • Texas recently canceled a home-and-home with Arizona State that was set for 2032 and 2033.

The players

Chris del Conte

The athletic director at the University of Texas.

Marcus Freeman

The head football coach of the University of Notre Dame.

Texas Longhorns

The football team of the University of Texas, a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The football team of the University of Notre Dame, an independent program not affiliated with a conference.

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What they’re saying

“Everything is fluid right now because I don't know exactly.”

— Chris del Conte, Texas Athletic Director

What’s next

The future of the Notre Dame-Texas football series remains uncertain, with Texas AD Chris del Conte indicating the games are 'fluid' as the Longhorns evaluate their non-conference scheduling needs ahead of their move to the SEC.

The takeaway

The potential cancellation of the Notre Dame-Texas series is a reminder of the growing challenges facing independent programs like Notre Dame in an era where conference affiliation and playoff positioning are the top priorities for many top college football programs.