Notre Dame football adds another SEC opponent to future schedules

SOUTH BEND – Notre Dame and Arkansas have scheduled a two-game series in 2020 and 2025, the schools announced Thursday.

Dates of the games are set for Sept. 12, 2020, at Notre Dame and Oct. 4, 2025, at Arkansas. The South Bend matchup will be the first meeting ever between the programs.

“Coach (Bret) Bielema is a tremendous coach and his teams have always played a physical style of football," Brian Kelly said in a statement. "I know our team and fans will be excited to play the Razorbacks.”

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Arkansas is one of four Southeastern Conference programs that has never faced the Irish in football (also Auburn, Kentucky and Mississippi State). 

It's the third SEC opponent added recently to future Irish schedules: Notre Dame plays Georgia in 2017 (at Notre Dame) and 2019 (at Athens); plays Texas A&M in 2024 (at College Station) and 2025 (at Notre Dame).

“Whenever we have an opponent come to Notre Dame Stadium for the first time, there’s another layer of interest in the game," athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in a statement. "The same is true for our program and fans when we play away from home at a first-time venue. That is especially likely to be true of these games given the quality and tradition of the two programs.” 

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