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When Notre Dame was lured in by the ACC for a quasi-full conference membership, this was the game we all wanted to see. Notre Dame vs. Florida State looks as though it will first be played in 2014, when the Fighting Irish begin scheduling five ACC opponents per season.
Florida State recruiting website and forum Warchant ($) mentions a game between the Irish and Seminoles for 2014, which has set a bit of a blaze on the Internet servers in Tallahassee and South Bend and beyond. Of course, this potential game has not been officially announced. Notre Dame’s agreement to schedule five ACC opponents in football on an annual basis starting in 2014 along with a recent schedule change for the Irish though give this match-up some solid traction to go on. Notre Dame originally had a road game at Arizona State scheduled for October 25 but it appears as though that game may be cancelled or postponed for a later time.
Whatever you happen to think about Notre Dame’s place in college football today or of their allegiance with the ACC, this is one of the perks of the partnership between Notre Dame and the ACC. The Irish playing the Seminoles makes for a premiere match-up and if the two programs continue to build off of successful 2012 seasons – Notre Dame played for a BCS title and Florida State won the ACC and the Orange Bowl – then we could be heading toward an epic contest worthy of top games of 2014 status.
The game will also strengthen the entire schedule for both sides. Notre Dame is already scheduled to play Michigan and Stanford at home, Syracuse in MetLife Stadium, Navy in FedEx Field and end the year at USC. The Seminoles will be opening their 2014 season in Cowboys Stadium against the Big 12‘s Oklahoma State and their regular season will end, as it always does, against the SEC‘s Florida Gators. Florida State also plays road games in ACC play at Miami, NC State and North Carolina and Clemson will be played at home.
We may not be ready to compare the 2014 match-up between Notre Dame and Florida State with their 1993 No. 1 vs. No. 2 contest in Notre Dame Stadium, but looking ahead would be easy to suggest we see two top ten teams going to head-to-head.
Florida State leads the all-time series with the Fighting Irish, 5-2, including two bowl victories.
Now, when do we get our first taste of Notre Dame vs. Miami?
Follow Kevin McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB.
