Notre Dame and NBC announce the home kickoff times for Fighting Irish football

During the Blue-Gold game, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and NBC announced the 2019 kickoff times for their home football schedule. There was quite the cheer in the press box when we saw a lot of those old school 2:30 start times.

Notre Dame’s schedule is remarkably different in 2019 from what we saw in 2018, so let’s take a quick look at the full 12 game gauntlet with kickoff times and possible kickoff times.

@ Louisville Cardinals 9/2

There is no kickoff time as of yet, but seeing as how this is the only FBS game on Labor Day — we can be quite certain that it will be a prime time game.

New Mexico Lobos 9/14

The Irish welcome Bob Davie back into Notre Dame Stadium for the first time since a 34-16 victory over the Navy Midshipmen in November of 2001. That was during the era of the 2:30 games — so I suppose it’s a fitting tribute.

@ Georgia Bulldogs 9/21

There are some decent conference games that day in the Big 10, SEC, and Pac-12. It is, however, hard to imagine a bigger game than this one that day. It will, most likely, be the ESPN College Gameday destination — which usually signals a prime time game. I say it’s 70/30 for a night game.

Virginia Cavaliers 9/28

Notre Dame & NBC pull a dirty move here and move to the 3:30 kickoff time for Virginia’s first ever trip to South Bend. They also went dirty with this tweet which is as solid of a BOSS move as possible.

Bowling Green Falcons 10/5

Maybe the Irish wanted Brian VanGorder to remember how awful he was at 3:30 in the afternoon? For the second week in a row, the Irish play in this time slot at home — which is the last time all season.

USC Trojans 10/12

The annual prime time game on NBC belongs to Notre Dame’s rivalry with Southern Cal. It’s sure to be a Full House, and even though Notre Dame will never get the Trojans in South Bend in Novemeber — a mid-October night game still has the possibility of favorable weather conditions.

@ Michigan Wolverines 10/26

It will be the latest the Irish will have played Michigan since October of 1943. No telling what may come of this kickoff time — but I’m really rooting for a nooner. That just gives a longer day of celebrating a Skunkbeat feast.

Virginia Tech Hokies 11/2

So begins the first of 3 November home games for Notre Dame. It will also probably mean the Notre Dame band will break out some Metallica here and there. You know... for fun.

@ Duke Blue Devils 11/9

This game will be shown exclusively on the new ACC Network, so you can take a wild guess as to what time this one plays. Knowing the way execs like to milk Notre Dame for eyeballs... hello 7:30. (Maybe).

Navy Midshipmen 11/16

Because Notre Dame still doesn’t have the decency to cancel this series, we get another mid-November game against the Sailers. With their option style and that 2:30 kickoff, this game will be over in a hurry.

Boston College Eagles 11/23

B.C. invades South Bend on senior day — WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? The last two senior days at Notre Dame have seen alternate uniforms. Will the Irish dare to wear green again? Perhaps they rock some uniforms to salute Frank Leahy like they did with Rockne and Navy in 2017. Maybe.

@ Stanford Cardinal 11/30

Notre Dame keeps ending the season in California despite my constant warnings and declarations. It’s like they aren’t even listening to me anymore. What the hell?

THE WRAP

We will have much more on the schedule during the course of the offseason, but one thing is for sure, and that’s this schedule looks DRASTICALLY different than the one in 2018. That’s a good thing — really good thing.

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