I think I've figured this out a little bit...ACC expansion...

[IthacaMatt]

I think he's saying that ACC schools are generally more like SU- smaller, less research oriented with a significant private school presence. That's not necessarily a commentary on academic quality, but rather academic mission.

If his comment was meant as a slight to the Big 10, then he would be mistaken. But there is some truth that the ACC is the more natural fit, even academically, for Notre Dame. They are not a part of that research consortium, and they don't offer as much in terms of grad school, Ph.D. level research that the Big 10 does. The ACC has fine academic schools that Notre Dame better fits with, and although ND may have a lot of money, they don't have the money that the big midwestern land grant universities do.

 

[kyleslamb]

If his comment was meant as a slight to the Big 10, then he would be mistaken. But there is some truth that the ACC is the more natural fit, even academically, for Notre Dame. They are not a part of that research consortium, and they don't offer as much in terms of grad school, Ph.D. level research that the Big 10 does. The ACC has fine academic schools that Notre Dame better fits with, and although ND may have a lot of money, they don't have the money that the big midwestern land grant universities do.

There's certainly a lot of truth to this, but Notre Dame faculty would like to upgrade its focus on research. I think they would love to become more research-centric, and obviously the Big Ten would suit them in that regard.

 

[Bortukal]

These are all excellent thoughts. However, it seems to me that Notre Dame's destiny isn't going to be determined by conference realignment, traditional rivalries, faculty/alumni steering, etc., it will be determined by one thing: TV.

Isn't their contract with NBC, along with their BCS status, the real reason they have remained independent? I would hope that no self-respecting league would accept them for all sports sans football like the BE did. So isn't it very reasonable to think that ND becomes the flagship of the remaining Big East basketball/olympic sport conference and continues as an independent in football?

 

[PeteCalvin]

Pete Calvin:

the Big 10 has not always wanted ND...

in the first half of the twentieth century ND asked in and were rejected and they have never forgiven the slight, even if there is no one around today that was around when it happened (I'm halfway through my 60s and it happened long before I started liking college football in my early teens)...

big mistake, they were not only rejected but it was rubbed in...

but for that, I think they might have already joined, and they get less from the NBC contract than schools in the B1G or the SEC get every year...

this one ain't about the $$$...

I agree, Mojave. That's why I think ND flips the bird to the Big10 and heads elsewhere. The tables are turned, ND can get $$$ wherever it goes, and it's now a pride thing between them and the Big10. $$$ be damned.