Illinois & Notre Dame schedule a football series for the first time in 59 years

For the first time in nearly 60 years, Notre Dame and Illinois will play on a football field.The Irish and Illini have scheduled a home-and-home series that plays in 2027 and 2028.Notre Dame and Illinois announced Tuesday they're adding each other to their 2027 and 2028 schedules.The Irish will host the Illini on Sept. 4, 2027, at Notre Dame Stadium. Illinois and Notre Dame have met 12 times. They last played at Notre Dame Stadium in 1968 as part of a two-year series. Nine of the 12 all-time series match ups between the Irish and Illini came during a 10-year stretch from 1937-1946. The first game between the two programs played in 1898.For Illinois, the series with Notre Dame will replace Missouri on Illinois' 2027 and 2028 schedules.In addition to adding the Irish, Illinois also announced it added FIU to its 2027 schedule on Aug. 28, 2027. The Illini dropped a game against Eastern Illinois in 2027.For Notre Dame, the series against the Illini will replace the games against Purdue in 2