Independent fan guide · Notre Dame, Indiana
A packed football stadium under the lights
Matt’s firsthand experience

Welcome to Notre Dame.

Plan one football weekend—or your entire season—with official information, practical travel resources, and Matt’s firsthand knowledge of campus and gameday.

FinalNotre Dame 49 · Purdue 10
Next: Notre DameOct 3 · Noon ETat North Carolina
Kenan Stadium · ESPN · Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels

Plan one game—or your whole season.

Start with the tool that fits where you are today. Your current planners continue to save information in this browser while the next generation of the season planner is built.

Friends gathered at a Notre Dame football tailgate
Long-range planning

Build your season

Select a game, organize travel and lodging, save your gameday choices, and build a plan for yourself, your family, or your Notre Dame club.

Open the season planner →
Knute Rockne statue outside Notre Dame Stadium
First time at Notre Dame

Start with a guided visit

Work through the traditions, logistics, lodging priorities, and trip checklist that matter most on a first visit.

Build my first visit →
Matthew Owen visiting the Notre Dame campus
Hotels, rentals and local stops

Build the weekend

Compare places to stay, transportation choices, restaurants, nightlife, and regional ideas around your game.

Explore visitor resources →
Matthew Owen beside the Lou Holtz statue on the Notre Dame campus
It started in 1988.One football game became the beginning of a life-changing Notre Dame story.
Why this guide exists

One game changed the direction of my life.

“To those who know Notre Dame, no explanation is necessary. Those who don’t, no explanation will suffice.”

Lou Holtz

I was a high school student when Notre Dame defeated No. 1 Miami in 1988. Lou Holtz’s team gave me a reason to work hard enough in school to earn a place at Notre Dame.

I later studied mechanical engineering, where software development, computer networking, and the fledgling Internet helped lead me into a career in technology. Through hundreds of games and friendships across the country, my love for the Notre Dame family has only grown.

This guide is my way of helping new fans find their own beginning—and of honoring the coach whose example changed mine.

1937—2026
Remembering Coach Lou Holtz

A championship legacy. A standard that endures.

Honor Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship coach and follow confirmed commemorations throughout the 2026 season.

Visit the tribute