Notre Dame lately has not shied away from filling its football schedules with marquee names.

The latest example? The Irish are planning to mess with Texas.

Notre Dame and the Big 12 powerhouse Longhorns are "very close" to finalizing a four-game series for future games, sources told the Tribune.

The series could begin in 2015, sources said. The rest of the details are unknown, such as if it would be simply a pair of home-and-homes or involve games at off-campus venues.

But it would be another recent statement that Notre Dame remains in the business of big names and big venues on its schedule. The Irish also have firmed up plans to rekindle their rivalry with Miami in a 2012 game at Soldier Field.

The Irish and Longhorns have met 10 times before -- three times in the Cotton Bowl between 1969 and 1977 -- but have not played each other since 1996. Notre Dame owns an 8-2 advantage in the all-time series.

Maintaining that lead would be quite the challenge against the current incarnation of Texas football, as the Longhorns have won 10 games for nine straight seasons and snared a national title in 2005. They're ranked No. 5 in the 2010 preseason coaches poll.

But there's no shortage of history to the matchup: Entering 2010, only Michigan (877) has won more college football games than Texas (845) and Notre Dame (837).

Tiernan;441354 wrote:Who knew TD Jesus was a masochist?

sjmvsfscs08;441426 wrote:Also, the administraion must be either crazy, desperate (to keep the independent schedule interesting and Notre Dame in the news), or convinced Brian Kelly is the man. Oklahoma, Miami, and now Texas? Fuck me sideways.

darbypitcher22;441493 wrote:if Kelly pulls out some W's could make for an interesting series

karen lotz;441492 wrote:I like it. I'd much rather have them play teams such as Texas, OU, Miami than Western Michigan, Tulsa, etc

ts1227;442231 wrote:By 2015 Texas could very well be an independent as well, at least they're preparing a schedule for it!