Everything changed in November 2024. Most fans walked into Notre Dame Stadium expecting a fight, but what they got was a total demolition. Honestly, if you blinked, you missed another Irish touchdown.
The score? A brutal 52-3 win for Notre Dame. It wasn't just a loss for the Florida State Seminoles; it was a physical and psychological breaking point. Imagine a team that won 13 games the year before suddenly looking like they didn't know how to line up. That’s what we saw.
The 2024 Disaster: Breaking Down Florida State v Notre Dame
Let’s talk about the actual game. People like to blame "bad luck," but the stats from that Saturday night tell a much uglier story. The Irish defense didn't just play well; they hunted. They racked up eight sacks. Rylie Mills looked like he was shot out of a cannon, living in the FSU backfield with three sacks of his own.
Florida State’s offense was basically a ghost.
They finished with 208 total yards.
That’s it.
In a modern college football game, that is essentially a forfeit.
You’ve got to feel for Brock Glenn and Luke Kromenhoek. They were running for their lives all night. Meanwhile, Riley Leonard was playing a different game entirely. He took off for a 34-yard rushing touchdown on the very first drive, and you could almost hear the air leave the FSU sideline. It set the tone.
Then came the Jadarian Price run. A 65-yard sprint that made the Seminoles' secondary look like they were running through molasses. By the time Luke Talich returned a 79-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter, the stadium was just a party. FSU was 1-9. It was the lowest point in a generation for that program.
The "Game of the Century" and a Rivalry Built on Respect
To understand why people care so much about Florida State v Notre Dame, you have to go back to 1993. That was the real "Game of the Century." No, seriously.
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Number 1 versus Number 2.
Bobby Bowden versus Lou Holtz.
South Bend was shaking.
Charlie Ward, the Heisman winner, was trying to lead a comeback for the ages, but Shawn Wooden batted down the final pass. Notre Dame won 31-24. But here’s the kicker—FSU still won the National Championship that year because the Irish got tripped up by Boston College a week later. It’s the kind of drama you can't script.
The series is now tied at 6-6. It’s perfectly balanced, which is rare for two programs this old. They’ve met in the Orange Bowl, the Champs Sports Bowl, and in high-stakes regular-season openers like the 41-38 thriller in 2021. But that balance feels fragile now. Notre Dame has won the last four meetings.
Why the 2026 Cancellation Matters
Recently, some weird news dropped. The 2026 matchup in Tallahassee was actually scratched.
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FSU fans are frustrated.
Notre Dame fans are confused.
Basically, the schedule math didn't work out with the ACC's shifting landscape and Notre Dame’s independent status.
Instead of a return trip to Doak Campbell in 2026, we’re looking at a long wait. The two teams aren't scheduled to clash again until 2029. That’s a huge gap for a rivalry that usually delivers TV ratings gold. It feels like a missed opportunity to see if Mike Norvell can actually fix the mess that was the 2024 season before facing Marcus Freeman again.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
Most casual observers think FSU’s 2024 collapse was just about losing Jordan Travis. That’s a shallow take. The issues were deeper—recruiting misses in the trenches and a lack of identity. When they played Notre Dame, the Irish showed them what a "culture" team looks like.
Notre Dame isn't just winning because they have better athletes. They’re winning because their developmental program is humming. Look at players like Howard Cross III or Mitchell Evans. These aren't just five-star flashes; they are guys who have been in the system for years.
On the flip side, the Florida State v Notre Dame history shows that the Seminoles usually win when they can out-athlete the Irish. In the late 90s, FSU’s speed was too much. In 2024, Notre Dame was the faster team. That is a massive shift in the DNA of these two programs.
Realities of the Modern Rivalry
The gap between these two is wider than it's been since the early 2000s.
- Quarterback Play: Riley Leonard gave the Irish a dual-threat dimension FSU simply couldn't match.
- Defensive Depth: Eight sacks don't happen by accident. It's about a rotation that stays fresh.
- Coaching Stability: Marcus Freeman has found his rhythm in South Bend, while Norvell is facing his toughest rebuild yet.
It’s also worth noting the basketball side of things. Just to rub salt in the wound, the FSU hoops team actually managed to beat the Irish 67-60 in early 2025. It was Leonard Hamilton’s final season, and it proved that Tallahassee is still a hard place to win—just maybe not on the gridiron right now.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re looking at future matchups or tracking these programs, keep an eye on the transfer portal movements this spring. FSU is desperate for offensive line help, and without it, any game against a top-tier defensive front like Notre Dame's will end in another blowout.
For those attending games in South Bend or Tallahassee in the future:
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- Travel early: Both campuses are nightmare-fuel for traffic on game day.
- Watch the lines: Notre Dame was a 25.5-point favorite in 2024 and still covered easily. The market is struggling to keep up with how far FSU has fallen.
- Check the 2029 schedule: Since the 2026 game is off, start looking at 2029 travel arrangements now if you want to see the "rematch" in Florida.
The rivalry is on ice for a few years, but the 52-3 scoreline will be burned into the minds of every Seminole fan until they get another crack at the Irish. It wasn't just a game; it was a statement of where these two giants currently stand in the hierarchy of college football.