One of the biggest Week 1 games in college football will be the matchup between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Miami Hurricanes. This will be the 27th meeting between the two programs that developed a fierce rivalry through the 1970s and ’80s.
In a preview from “The Triple Option” podcast of the Irish’s 2025 schedule, former NFL running back Mark Ingram II picked Miami to beat Notre Dame because of the experience advantage of Miami’s incoming transfer quarterback, Carson Beck, over the relative inexperience of Notre Dame’s CJ Carr.
“I’m going to go with experience in a Week 1 battle,” said Ingram. “I think you’ve got a quarterback with three years of experience (Beck) going against a redshirt freshman quarterback (Carr).”
Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, was mistaken in that Beck was a starter with the Georgia Bulldogs for two seasons, not three, but his point still stands.
Carr should provide the Fighting Irish with a more diversified offensive attack this season. Last year, Notre Dame relied on Riley Leonard under center, who was known more for what he could provide as a rusher than he could as a passer.
In Notre Dame’s spring game in April, Carr completed 14-of-19 passes for 170 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Beck transferred to Miami in December after undergoing elbow surgery to correct an injury he sustained with the Bulldogs during the SEC Championship game against the Texas Longhorns. According to On3’s NIL 100, Beck is the third-highest paid player in college sports with a $4.3 million valuation.
These two college football powerhouses have a history.
They met every year from 1971 to 1990. Notre Dame dominated the series in its early years, winning every contest from 1967 through 1980 for 11 straight wins. The Hurricanes turned it around, though, winning six of the next eight games from 1981 to 1989.
Notre Dame leads the all-time series with a 17-8-1 advantage.
The Hurricanes will host the Fighting Irish on Sunday, August 31. At the time of publishing, Notre Dame is a 1.5-point favorite per ESPN BET.
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