College football returns to South Bend this Saturday as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the Rice Owls in their 2026 home opener at legendary Notre Dame Stadium. With both programs entering the weekend undefeated and the Fighting Irish playing in front of their home crowd for the first time this season, Saturday afternoon promises an electric atmosphere.
For fans wondering where to watch, the answer is simple: Notre Dame vs. Rice will be nationally televised on NBC, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The game will also be streamed live on Peacock, giving viewers another way to follow every snap. Notre Dame and Rice have both officially confirmed the NBC and Peacock broadcast.
The matchup takes place at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, one of the most iconic venues in college football. Stadium gates are scheduled to open at 2:00 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before kickoff, while Notre Dame’s traditional pregame activities β including the Victory March, Trumpets at the Dome and Band Marchout β will take place throughout the afternoon.
Streaming is equally straightforward. U.S. viewers with an eligible Peacock subscription can watch the entire game live through Peacock on supported televisions, computers, phones, tablets and streaming devices. International Fighting Irish fans have an additional option: Notre Dame says its NBC-broadcast regular-season games, including the Rice matchup, are available free to viewers outside the United States through Fighting Irish TV Live.
For fans who would rather listen, the SoFi Notre Dame Radio Network provides coverage through affiliates around the country. In South Bend, the network lists 960 WSBT-AM and 101.5 WNSN-FM, while SiriusXM channel 129 is also listed for Notre Dame football coverage.
But this matchup is about much more than television and streaming information.
Notre Dame comes into Saturday’s contest after an impressive 41β13 victory over Wisconsin in its season opener at Lambeau Field. Rice also arrives in South Bend at 1β0, having opened its campaign with a convincing 31β3 victory over HCU. That means something has to give when the two undefeated teams meet Saturday afternoon.
History strongly favors the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame and Rice have met five times previously, and the Irish have won all five meetings. Their series stretches all the way back to 1915, when Notre Dame defeated Rice 55β2 in Houston. The programs later met in 1973 and 1974 before playing twice more, with their most recent encounter coming in 2014 when Notre Dame earned a 48β17 victory.
Still, Rice travels to South Bend with nothing to lose. Road games against nationally ranked opponents provide opportunities for underdogs to play aggressively, create turnovers and put pressure on the favorite. If the Owls can avoid early mistakes and keep the contest close into the second half, the pressure could begin shifting toward the home sideline.
Notre Dame’s objective will be the opposite: establish control early.
The Fighting Irish will want to use the energy inside Notre Dame Stadium, control the line of scrimmage and prevent Rice from gaining confidence. After putting 41 points on the board against Wisconsin, another efficient offensive performance would allow Notre Dame to dictate the pace while forcing the Owls into uncomfortable situations.
Saturday is also significant because it marks Notre Dame’s first game at Notre Dame Stadium in 2026. After beginning the season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field as part of the Shamrock Series, the Irish finally return home to South Bend.
For the players, it is another important step in a long season. For Fighting Irish fans, it is the return of one of college football’s greatest traditions β a Saturday afternoon inside Notre Dame Stadium.
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Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
β° Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT
ποΈ Venue: Notre Dame Stadium β South Bend, Indiana
πΊ TV Channel: NBC
π± Live Stream: Peacock
π International: Fighting Irish TV Live for eligible viewers outside the U.S.
ποΈ Notre Dame Radio: SoFi Notre Dame Radio Network / SiriusXM 129
π Matchup: Rice Owls at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Golden Dome is ready. The stadium is ready. And Notre Dame football is finally coming home.
GO IRISH! βοΈππππ₯
