After nearly a decade apart, two of college football's most storied programs are set to renew a legendary rivalry—and they'll do it under the bright lights of prime time.
Michigan State and Notre Dame will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, with the game broadcast on NBC and Peacock. The primetime slot is a fitting stage for a matchup that has produced some of the most memorable moments in the sport's history.
This will be the first meeting between the Spartans and Fighting Irish since Sept. 23, 2017, when Notre Dame rolled to a 38-18 victory in East Lansing. The last time the two teams squared off at Notre Dame Stadium, on Sept. 17, 2016, it was Michigan State that walked away with a 36-28 win.
The timing of the renewal is especially significant: 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of the legendary 10-10 tie that closed the 1966 season in East Lansing. That game, pitting No. 1 Notre Dame against No. 2 Michigan State, is widely regarded as one of the greatest college football games of the 20th century—a clash that still resonates with fans of both programs today.
Notre Dame holds a commanding 49-29-1 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1897, and boasts a 29-14 record at home. The rivalry has seen long, uninterrupted stretches of annual meetings: 36 consecutive seasons from 1959 to 1994, followed by a two-year break, then another 17 straight seasons from 1997 to 2013. After a two-year hiatus in 2014 and 2015, the series resumed briefly before going dormant again in 2017.
For fans of both teams, this September's primetime showdown isn't just a game—it's the revival of a tradition that has defined generations of college football. Whether you're pulling for the green and white or the gold and blue, it's a night you won't want to miss.
