Notre Dame football will kick off the 2025 season with a Labor Day weekend match-up at Miami. The two programs will collide on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium. It will mark the 28th meeting between the two teams. The Irish own an 18-8-1 record in the all-time series against the Hurricanes. The most recent meeting in 2017 resulted in a 41-8 Miami win. Notre Dame owns a 1-2 record in Hard Rock Stadium. The Irish won their most recent appearance there in the CFP semifinal, defeating Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl to advance to the CFP title game.
Notre Dame is 114-17-5 (.857) in season openers and has won seven of its last eight season openers. The 2025 lid-lifter marks the fifth straight season the Irish will start a season away from Notre Dame Stadium (2021 at Florida State, 2022 at Ohio State, 2023 vs. Navy at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, 2024 at Texas A&M). It is the first time in program history that the Irish have started five straight seasons away from Notre Dame Stadium.
Xavier Watts, Benjamin Morrison to Enter the NFL Draft
Ahead of Friday’s deadline for players who took part in the national title game, safety Xavier Watts and cornerback Benjamin Morrison announced their plans to enter the NFL Draft. Watts had 82 tackles, four for loss, and six interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. The two-time All-American is bypassing the opportunity to return to South Bend for a sixth season.
“As I embark on the next chapter of my football journey, I’m filled with pride as I look back on the many memories and people that I’ll forever cherish, Watts wrote on X. “I hope that my time in the Irish uniform has helped continue the tradition of those that came before me.”
Morrison, a freshman All-American in 2022, suffered a season-ending hip injury against Stanford on Oct. 12 that curtailed his 2024 campaign. He announced his decision, writing on X, “This is not just the end of one chapter—it’s the beginning of another. I’ll carry the lessons, memories, and love from Notre Dame every step of the way. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Morrison pegged as the No. 3 cornerback in this year’s draft.
Morrison had three interceptions and a team-high 10 pass breakups in 2023. He was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award that season. Morrison concludes his collegiate career with nine interceptions, 27 passes defended, and 84 tackles.
Beaux Collins Declares for NFL Draft
Clemson transfer wide receiver Beaux Collins officially declared for the NFL Draft on Friday. He shared his thoughts on X, writing, “Thank you to all the alumni and fans that are a part of the Irish family. The past four years have been incredibly life-changing and has led to say that I’m looking forward to entering the 2025 NFL Draft.”
Collins caught four passes for 32 yards in Notre Dame’s 34-23 loss to Ohio State last week. He was a solid contributor throughout the season despite dealing with a calf injury that hampered his productivity. In his lone season in South Bend, Collins finished the year third on the team in receptions (41) and second in receiving yards (490). He hauled in a key 13-yard touchdown pass in Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl win over Georgia in the CFP quarterfinal.
Transfer Portal Claims Several Players From Notre Dame
Following last week’s loss to Ohio State in the CFP National Championship, a slew of Notre Dame players hit the transfer portal. Offensive linemen Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan entered the portal. So too did back-up offensive lineman Sam Pendleton, as well as wide receivers Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie. All told, Thomas started 12 games for the Irish during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He caught 43 passes for 838 yards and scored seven touchdowns for Notre Dame. He was used sparingly this season. While at Notre Dame, Colzie saw action at receiver and on special teams. In 2023, he caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.
