Independent · South Bend, Indiana
Notre Dame Football History
Championships, records and rivalries
Program history
ND history
The last major independent, with a golden dome and a television deal no other school has.
ND history
Independence
Notre Dame has never joined a football conference. A national television arrangement that has put its home games on network television since 1991, and a following that is not regional, make independence viable where it would not be for anyone else.
The trade-off is that there is no league title to win and no conference standing to fall back on. An independent is judged almost entirely on who it chose to play.
ND history
South Bend
The campus landmarks are as recognizable as the team: the Golden Dome, and the library mural of Christ with raised arms visible over the north end of the stadium, universally known as Touchdown Jesus.
Notre Dame Stadium was built in 1930 and has been expanded rather than replaced, which is part of why a game there feels older than most.
FAQ
ND history questions
Why is Notre Dame independent?
It has never joined a football conference. A long-standing national television arrangement and a nationwide following make independence viable in a way it is not for other programs.
What is Touchdown Jesus?
A mural of Christ with raised arms on the Hesburgh Library, visible above the north end of the stadium. The raised arms resemble a referee signalling a touchdown.
How does Notre Dame build a schedule?
By arranging games individually with schools across the country, often years in advance, producing a genuinely national slate.
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