Notre Dame and Navy will return to Dublin, Ireland, in 2020 for the first time since 2012 and the third time ever, the two schools announced Thursday morning.
“The University of Notre Dame, our football program, our alumni and fans had such a wonderful experience in 2012,” Irish director of athletics Jack Swarbrick said in a statement. “The people of Ireland were incredibly welcoming and made our time on the Emerald Isle unforgettable. It wasn’t long after our return from that trip that Navy initiated conversations with the hopes of bringing this matchup back to Dublin.”
Just like in 2012, the game will be held at Aviva Stadium, rather than at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It will also move up a week from its previously scheduled Sept. 5 to Aug. 29, giving Notre Dame an early idle week before two home games commence a six-game stretch before another idle week.
In that respect, this adjustment carries few of the drawbacks this year’s move to San Diego (8 ET; CBS) does. The Irish will have time to re-calibrate after the lengthy travel excursion, and will get to prepare for Navy’s triple-option during the preseason rather than in the middle of the season, and still have time to ready for the season as a whole.
Notre Dame won the 2012 contest in Ireland 50-10, kickstarting a 12-0 run to the national championship game.
2020 SCHEDULE
Aug. 29 — Navy at Dublin, Ireland
Sept. 12 — vs. Arkansas
Sept. 19 — vs. Western Michigan
Sept. 26 — vs. Wake Forest at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Oct. 3 — vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
Oct. 10 — vs. Stanford
Oct. 16 — at Pitt (and for theme’s sake, at Heinz Field, which is actually Pittsburgh’s home field)
Oct. 31 — vs. Duke
Nov. 7 — vs. Clemson
Nov. 14 — at Georgia Tech
Nov. 21 — vs. Louisville
Nov. 28 — at USC
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