Notre Dame-Navy kickoff time changed to 2:41 p.m. ET

The kickoff between Notre Dame and Navy has been pushed back slightly. Instead of the 2:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local), the opening kick is now set for 2:41 p.m. ET.

Saturday’s special Week 0 matchup will be played in Dublin, Ireland as as a part of the Aer Lingus College Football Series. Next season, Florida State and Georgia Tech will open the season in the same arena to conclude the series.

Vegas Insider lists the Fighting Irish as 20.5-point favorites heading into the contest, which will also serve as the first game of the new college football season.

All you need to know before Notre Dame vs. Navy

This won’t be the first time these teams have played against each other in Ireland. The two teams met in Aviva Stadium — where their 2023 game will take place — and saw the Fighting Irish topple the Midshipmen 50-10 in 2012.

Blue and Gold’s Tyler Horka gave his final thoughts on the game early Saturday morning, predicting quarterback Sam Hartman to be on the sideline with his helmet off and a smile on his face by the fourth quarter in his program debut.

Hartman, the No. 2 overall player (No. 1 QB) to have entered the transfer portal this cycle, comes into the program with high expectations. Couple that with Marcus Freeman looking to solidify himself as the next long-term Notre Dame head coach with a successful season — the motivation is there and they aren’t looking to fly back to South Bend with anything less than a victory.

Navy is known for its unique triple-option offense, which utilizes two running backs alongside the quarterback in the backfield. It’s a rare scheme to run in college football in 2023, which can cause problems for an undisciplined defense — especially in the first game of the season.

“Our guys defensively are used to being able to do your job, but finding a way to get to the ball,” Freeman said during fall camp. “Finding a way to make a play happen at times. And when you play triple option, you might not ever make a tackle with a guy on the ball but you have to do your job and it’s something that is extremely difficult.”

Whether the Fighting Irish’s preparation pays off remains to be seen, but thoughts of how poorly last season began for Notre Dame have crept back into the minds of fans facing such a unique scheme.