Notre Dame Football: 5 Teams the Irish Should Schedule

Notre Dame is one of only four programs which has full control over its entire schedule. Most teams are locked in to either eight or nine conference games, leaving only three or four games to schedule on their own.

With the added flexibility as an independent, the Irish have the luxury to play games all over the country and strengthen their nationwide footprint.

As Notre Dame begins to fill holes on its schedule for the latter part of the decade, here are five schools to which athletic director Jack Swarbrick should place a call. 

http://www.twitter.com/NDalum07

Cincinnati

Although he might want to run this one by Brian Kelly, the former head coach of the Bearcats, Swarbrick should gauge the interest of Cincinnati. The Irish have a large alumni base and strong fan support in the Queen City.

Notre Dame rarely plays in the state of Ohio, a fertile recruiting area. A home-and-home would likely include a game at Paul Brown Stadium, the home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Georgia Tech

The Irish and Yellow Jackets recently played a two-game series in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, with each team winning in the other's stadium. The two historic teams have played off and on over the years, including the famous "Rudy" game.

Playing Georgia Tech allows Notre Dame to play in Atlanta, the largest city in the South, and arguably the current capital of college football. Most SEC teams won't schedule the Irish, but the Yellow Jackets provide an attractive alternative.

N.C. State

Notre Dame has played Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest in recent seasons, so why not check off the final member of the ACC's Tar Heel State quartet?

The Carolinas continue to produce more and more blue chip prospects each year, so maintaining a presence in that part of the country is crucial. With the Wolfpack, you also get a strong, but beatable, opponent.

TCU

The Horned Frogs are no longer a mid-major, as they'll join the Big 12 for the 2012 season. Gary Patterson has turned TCU into a national power in his 11 years in Fort Worth.

Playing TCU would likely give the Irish an opportunity to play not only in Texas, but at Cowboys Stadium, the ultimate cathedral for football. Notre Dame will play Arizona State there in 2013 and would likely love a second visit to Arlington a few years later.

Tennessee

The Irish and Volunteers met six times over a 16-year period from 1990 to 2005, with each team winning three games. Tennessee has always been willing to schedule Notre Dame, unlike most SEC teams who feast on cupcakes during non-conference play.

The two schools have always had a good relationship and playing an SEC teams give the Irish an opportunity to be in the spotlight in the South. The fact that Notre Dame has won two of its past three visits to Neyland Stadium doesn't hurt either.