5 Notre Dame Football Photos For A Friday: Meaningless Bowl Love

TL;DR

Notre Dame has opted out of playing in a bowl game for the 2025 season, sparking widespread reactions. The team has participated in nine bowl games since 2008, winning eight of them.

Key points

Notre Dame opted out of the 2025 bowl game
The team has played in nine bowl games since 2008
Notre Dame has an 8-1 record in those bowl games

Notre Dame Fighting IrishSouth Carolina GamecocksTaxSlayer Gator Bowl

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 30: Audric Estime #7 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs the ball against Nick Emmanwori #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second half of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field on December 30, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) | Getty Images When Notre Dame decided to end the 2025 college football season by opting out of playing in a bowl game, people all over the country kind of lost their minds. Notre Dame decided to NOT play in a meaningless bowl game because it was MEANINGLESS and, well, they’ve done enough meaningless stuff over the last 15 years. Notre Dame has played in 9 meaningless bowl games since 2008. The Irish are 8-1 in those games. **Meaningless Bowl Wins** 2008 Hawaii Bowl vs Hawaii 2010 Sun Bowl vs Miami 2013 Pinstripe Bowl vs Rutgers 2014 Music City Bowl vs LSU 2017 Citrus Bowl vs LSU 2019 Camping World Bowl vs Iowa State 2022 Gator Bowl vs South Carolina 2023 Sun Bowl vs Oregon State Notre Dame’s lone loss during this time of meaningless bowls was against Florida State in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl. Here are 5 photos from those games, because they were still fun (some of them).