For as long and rich as Notre Dame’s football history is, it can’t be told without quickly getting to the role the city of Chicago has played in it.
In terms of players and coaches, a rather significant one by the name of Rockne grew up in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood before making his way to South Bend.
And as recently as this past weekend’s Super Bowl, Julian Love, who earned All-American status while at Notre Dame, also grew up in Chicago.
In-between there were dozens and dozens of Chicago kids that wound up playing at Notre Dame, while under Marcus Freeman, the Fighting Irish have seen a recent bump in recruiting the Windy City.
However, it’s not just players like Johnny Lattner, Chris Zorich or George Connor that make Notre Dame’s connection to Chicago so strong. It’s also the winning history Notre Dame has had while playing in the City by the Lake.
Notre Dame’s History at Soldier Field
Over its long history, Notre Dame has played essentially a full season’s worth of games in the city of Chicago, with Soldier Field playing host.
Notre Dame has gone 11-0-2 all-time in those games, which date all the way back to 1924 and as recently as 2021.
Notre Dame All-Time Results at Soldier Field
Nov. 22, 1924: Notre Dame 13, Northwestern 6
Nov. 26, 1927: Notre Dame 7, USC 6
Oct. 13, 1928: Notre Dame 7, Navy 0
Oct. 19, 1929: Notre Dame 19, Wisconsin 0
Nov. 9, 1929: Notre Dame 19, Drake 7
Nov. 16, 1929: Notre Dame 13, USC 12
Nov. 29, 1930: Notre Dame 7, Army 6
Oct. 10, 1931: Notre Dame 0, Northwestern 0
Dec. 5, 1942: Notre Dame 13, Great Lakes 13
Sept. 5, 1992: Notre Dame 42, Northwestern 7
Sept. 3, 1994: Notre Dame 42, Northwestern 15
Oct. 6, 2012: Notre Dame 41, Miami (FL) 3
Sept. 25, 2021: Notre Dame 41, Wisconsin 13
Chicago Bears’ Future Threatens Notre Dame in Chicago
It certainly appears the Chicago Bears are close to choosing a new home, whether it be in Arlington Heights, Illinois, or in Northwest Indiana. That will mean a new stadium, almost certainly domed, and questions about what would become of historic Soldier Field on Chicago’s lakefront.
It would make all the sense in the world for Notre Dame to follow its current model of playing its Shamrock Series games mostly in NFL venues. Following the Bears to their new digs would seem the most logical.
That’s fine and dandy, but it’s also not technically Chicago.
There hasn’t been a date announced as to when the Bears will ultimately move but it would appear to be in the next handful of years.
Perhaps Notre Dame can schedule a Shamrock Series game before that for Soldier Field, essentially to say goodbye to the venue that played a significant role for the Irish back in the 1920s.
Perhaps there is another option to have the Irish play a game in Chicago still.
Notre Dame at Wrigley Field?
With Northwestern building a new stadium that’s set to open this fall, it’ll no longer play an annual November game at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
Seeing as Notre Dame has taken the Shamrock Series to the likes of Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, could Wrigley Field suddenly be in play for a Fighting Irish home game? Cubs President Crane Kenney is a 1985 graduate of Notre Dame, for whatever that’s worth.
Nov 22, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The Northwestern Wildcats celebrate after winning the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Wrigley Field. | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
The other option could be to play a game at Rate Field on Chicago’s South Side, home of the Chicago White Sox. That park doesn’t have the same history as Wrigley Field when it comes to football, as Wrigley served as the Bears home field from 1921 to 1970, but the connections from Chicago’s south side to Notre Dame are rich.
Couple that with former Notre Dame basketball player Brooks Boyer being the current Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer with the White Sox, and I’d put the chances of it happening at non-zero.
Nick Shepkowski’s Quick Takeaway
Dec 13, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; In this drone image, a general view of Soldier Field with the Chicago skyline before a game between the Chicago Bears and the Houston Texans the at Soldier Field. | Quinn Harris-Imagn Images
I always come on here and talk down college football games being played on places other than college campuses. However, as much as I wish each team only played games on a college campus, I know Notre Dame has never operated in such a matter, and never will.
If it is going to play “home” games away from Notre Dame Stadium, I’d prefer they occur in places that would create a homefield advantage, and Chicago certainly does that.
I guess that’s my way of saying I’d like to see Notre Dame play one final game at Soldier Field before the Bears move out, and it likely becomes a city park on Chicago’s lakefront.