Florida cancels Notre Dame football series

Florida has canceled its home-and-home football series with Notre Dame, eliminating games scheduled for 2031 and 2032, Gators Online confirmed. The Associated Press’ Mark Long first reported the decision.

The Gators were scheduled to visit Notre Dame in 2031 before hosting the Fighting Irish the following season. According to the AP, Florida exercised a contract clause allowing the school to withdraw without a financial penalty if the SEC expanded its conference schedule to nine games.

That condition was met in 2026, the SEC’s first season with a nine-game league schedule. Florida also plays an annual Power 4 game against in-state rival Florida State, giving the Gators 10 such games before any other nonconference opponents are added.

Notre Dame responded to the opening in its future schedule by announcing a home-and-home series with Washington. Those games are scheduled for 2031 and 2034.

The cancellation removes what would have been the first regular-season meetings between Florida and Notre Dame. The programs have played only once, with the Fighting Irish beating the Gators 39-28 in the Sugar Bowl during the 1991 season.

Their lone meeting was in New Orleans, neither hosted. The canceled series would have sent Florida to South Bend for the first time and brought Notre Dame to Gainesville for the first time.

Why it matters

Florida no longer has Notre Dame on its 2031 and 2032 schedules. With nine SEC games and an annual Power 4 matchup against Florida State, the Gators already have 10 such games each season before adding other nonconference opponents.