Notre Dame is 2 games away from ACC membership

[Scooch]

ND played 6 ACC teams this season: SU, Miami, NC State, BC, Pitt, Stanford.

For the math challenged, that’s a whole 2 games fewer than every ACC team played ACC opponents.

ND also played Arkansas, Boise State and Purdue this season. Any 2 of those 3 games could have been ACC teams. It’s not like ND needs to appeal to alums in Little Rock or Idaho.

ND will remain an “independent”. Even more so given the concession the CFP gave them starting next season. But it’s just so silly since they already are 75% an ACC member.

I hope the ghost of Gerry Faust possesses Marcus Freeman and they go 6-6 from 2026 until the end of time.

 

[BKCuse]

I hate Notre Dame.

I like Marcus Freeman but big picture - I Hate Notre Dame.

 

[phil77]

I know their fans won't see it, but it is in their best interest to join the conference.

With a big 4 of Clemson - FSU - Miami - ND the ACC will always be a P4 conference
The ACC is weak? As long as it is a P4 conference who cares? Win it and you are in the playoffs.
We like our schedule? Like you said, it is only a game or two difference
We need our own TV contract? Fine keep it figure out the details so it is a win for everyone

Over time, they would take over power in the conference IMO. I don't see it as a big negative as they do the only negative is that they have always been independent, it is our history stuff...

 

[Orangefan1]

I know their fans won't see it, but it is in their best interest to join the conference.

With a big 4 of Clemson - FSU - Miami - ND the ACC will always be a P4 conference
The ACC is weak? As long as it is a P4 conference who cares? Win it and you are in the playoffs.
We like our schedule? Like you said, it is only a game or two difference
We need our own TV contract? Fine keep it figure out the details so it is a win for everyone

Over time, they would take over power in the conference IMO. I don't see it as a big negative as they do the only negative is that they have always been independent, it is our history stuff...

I actually think it’s a message to them that they should eat or @$$&& off the pot, they can keep their media deal but they need to join a conference

 

[phil77]

I actually think it’s a message to them that they should eat or @$$&& off the pot, they can keep their media deal but they need to join a conference

I do not think other conferences like the SEC or B1G 10 is going to let them keep their TV contract independent; that is the selling point that the ACC needs to bring to the table.

 

[orangenauburn]

I do not think other conferences like the SEC or B1G 10 is going to let them keep their TV contract independent; that is the selling point that the ACC needs to bring to the table.

This.

Your deal with NBC / Peacock / Satan is yours. Any other independent deals you want to make on the side, fine, go ahead.

But join the ACC fully.

 

[djorange1989]

NDs new football contract is $50 mil per year. ACC teams get about $40 mil but you add ND and the contract will be renegotiated up to very close to that $50 mil. They kill ACC teams most of the time and would easily make the playoffs just about every year. The ACC are wimps for letting them join for all but football

 

[OrlandoCuse]

I’m still kind of surprised ND has the national brand clout from 30 years ago when they established their NBC deal. It seems there’s several programs with significantly more national appeal. As long as NBC keeps paying them they will stay independent. They’ll join a conference the second after NBC terminates their contract, but it seems like that won’t happen anytime soon.

 

[phil77]

NDs new football contract is $50 mil per year. ACC teams get about $40 mil but you add ND and the contract will be renegotiated up to very close to that $50 mil. They kill ACC teams most of the time and would easily make the playoffs just about every year. The ACC are wimps for letting them join for all but football

I don't even need a boost to our contract; they can keep their 50 million per, and we keep our 40 per. I just want to use them for long-term stability, and they want to use us for access to the guaranteed spot in the playoffs.

 

[Scooch]

You guys understand that the value to the ACC if ND joined would be to have them as part of their media deal, right? You can’t let them keep their NBC deal. That’s the whole point.

 

[Scooch]

I’m still kind of surprised ND has the national brand clout from 30 years ago when they established their NBC deal. It seems there’s several programs with significantly more national appeal. As long as NBC keeps paying them they will stay independent. They’ll join a conference the second after NBC terminates their contract, but it seems like that won’t happen anytime soon.

If NBC didn’t renew their ND deal there’d be a line of suitors waiting to pay ND for their media rights. ESPN, FOX, Paramount, Netflix, Amazon, etc.

 

[Cusefan95]

I know their fans won't see it, but it is in their best interest to join the conference.

With a big 4 of Clemson - FSU - Miami - ND the ACC will always be a P4 conference
The ACC is weak? As long as it is a P4 conference who cares? Win it and you are in the playoffs.
We like our schedule? Like you said, it is only a game or two difference
We need our own TV contract? Fine keep it figure out the details so it is a win for everyone

Over time, they would take over power in the conference IMO. I don't see it as a big negative as they do the only negative is that they have always been independent, it is our history stuff...

Notre Dame isn’t taking a particularly visionary position here. If we start with them not wanting to join the Big 10 for historical reasons, they really need to join the ACC. The conference needs a lifeline right now, I think both the Big 12 and ACC are starting to struggle financially vs SEC/Big 10. ND joining the ACC stabilizes the conference, so much so that we may retain four power conferences as a long term structure.

The approach they are taking makes the best schools in the ACC and Big 12 getting gobbled up by the big two more likely - and at that point they’d need to join the Big Ten anyway.

I do expect teams that miss the playoffs will increasingly pass on bowl games. FSU missed the playoffs and had their fifth stringers get blown out, and the narrative of the imbecile choir was it showed they didn’t belong in the playoff. Most top teams that just miss are going to have the same issue of a ton of opt outs - so it’s probably better to skip the bowl game completely and reset for next year. Why lose a meaningless game that the media and many fans still insist is more than next year’s preseason exhibition game? I expect bowls are going to become increasingly pointless over the next few years.

 

[BVille44]

The fix is in starting next season. Per the Notre Dame AD they signed a MOU so there is no need for them to join the ACC to make the CFP.

“For the 2026 College Football Playoff (CFP), Notre Dame, as an independent, will likely have a guaranteed path if ranked in the Top 12 and will receive significant financial benefits, under the new agreement starting that season, moving away from automatic byes for top conference champs to a straight seeding system for the 12-team playoff.”

 

[Cusefan95]

I’m still kind of surprised ND has the national brand clout from 30 years ago when they established their NBC deal. It seems there’s several programs with significantly more national appeal. As long as NBC keeps paying them they will stay independent. They’ll join a conference the second after NBC terminates their contract, but it seems like that won’t happen anytime soon.

They were #15 this year. The teams ahead of them are all SEC, Michigan, Ohio State with one non-SEC/B10 in Florida State at #14. If NBC wants college football - which it appears they do - Notre Dame will provide better ratings than a contract with ACC or Big 12.

Honestly looking at the numbers, Notre Dame to the SEC would probably be a big boost to both parties. I wouldn’t be surprised if both have that as a potentiality for the future.

 

[phil77]

They were #15 this year. The teams ahead of them are all SEC, Michigan, Ohio State with one non-SEC/B10 in Florida State at #14. If NBC wants college football - which it appears they do - Notre Dame will provide better ratings than a contract with ACC or Big 12.

Honestly looking at the numbers, Notre Dame to the SEC would probably be a big boost to both parties. I wouldn’t be surprised if both have that as a potentiality for the future.

Notre Dame will struggle in the SEC I don't think they are suited for that conference on a yearly basis.

 

[Cusefan95]

The fix is in starting next season. Per the Notre Dame AD they signed a MOU so there is no need for them to join the ACC to make the CFP.

“For the 2026 College Football Playoff (CFP), Notre Dame, as an independent, will likely have a guaranteed path if ranked in the Top 12 and will receive significant financial benefits, under the new agreement starting that season, moving away from automatic byes for top conference champs to a straight seeding system for the 12-team playoff.”

That’s an…interesting take. The way the system was, they had access if they were ranked high enough. Normally that would be no worse than .#10. Now it’ll be #12. And you think that’s a big enough change to influence whether or not Notre Dame would join the ACC?

I can’t see how the new contract vs the old one influences much of anything here.

 

[Cusefan95]

Notre Dame will struggle in the SEC I don't think they are suited for that conference on a yearly basis.

I may have missed where “hey, we might struggle in that new conference if we go there” has been a big factor in realignment. If it was, I’d like to know some examples - and we’d need to agree Maryland and Rutgers missed that memo.

Realignment has been about exactly one thing -$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. There is not one other criteria.

Notre Dame would need to “Lou Holtz on steroids” their admission standards if they wanted to compete in the SEC though. I’d agree with that.

 

[kcsu]

This.

Your deal with NBC / Peacock / Satan is yours. Any other independent deals you want to make on the side, fine, go ahead.

But join the ACC fully.

Phillips needs to think outside the box. Let them remain independent but allow them full football conference rights. It's doable

 

[kcsu]

This.

Your deal with NBC / Peacock / Satan is yours. Any other independent deals you want to make on the side, fine, go ahead.

But join the ACC fully.

Phillips needs to think outside the box. Let them remain independent but allow them full football conference rights. It's doable

 

[rocklloyd]

My wish is for notre dame to lose their first 4 games each season

 

[phil77]

I may have missed where “hey, we might struggle in that new conference if we go there” has been a big factor in realignment. If it was, I’d like to know some examples - and we’d need to agree Maryland and Rutgers missed that memo.

Realignment has been about exactly one thing -$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. There is not one other criteria.

Notre Dame would need to “Lou Holtz on steroids” their admission standards if they wanted to compete in the SEC though. I’d agree with that.

But other schools choose to leave conferences for money that would not be Notre Dame's motive. If Notre Dame ever joins a conference, it is to gain access to the playoffs and a chance at a title. But I would argue playing an SEC schedule would actually hurt Notre Dames chances at the playoffs and title. Notre Dame isn't a regular university looking for realignment.

 

[Scooch]

Phillips needs to think outside the box. Let them remain independent but allow them full football conference rights. It's doable

What does this mean?

 

[hoopsupstate]

But other schools choose to leave conferences for money that would not be Notre Dame's motive. If Notre Dame ever joins a conference, it is to gain access to the playoffs and a chance at a title. But I would argue playing an SEC schedule would actually hurt Notre Dames chances at the playoffs and title. Notre Dame isn't a regular university looking for realignment.

I think several SEC and BiG 10 schools are beginning to see the writing on the wall. A lot of good SEC and Big 10 teams are going to be left out of the playoffs due to the size of their leagues. Look at Texas and Penn State this year. Both were top three and ended out of the playoffs. You can’t afford to loose any 50/50 games and hope to make the playoffs. USC and Washington are now after thoughts. Wisconsin, MSU, and Iowas are no longer plausible playoff teams. Michigan has been out of the playoffs too. A lot of big brands are being left out. Fran talks about making the playoffs. We have a chance in the ACC, but zero chance in the SEC or Big 10.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Phillips needs to think outside the box. Let them remain independent but allow them full football conference rights. It's doable

I don’t think coaches from Clemson, Miami, FSU and others will let ND have any advantages over their schools. Teams and coaches are competitive and will get ticked off if they have to compete against a team with a built in advantage.

 

[Scooch]

I think several SEC and BiG 10 schools are beginning to see the writing on the wall. A lot of good SEC and Big 10 teams are going to be left out of the playoffs due to the size of their leagues. Look at Texas and Penn State this year. Both were top three and ended out of the playoffs. You can’t afford to loose any 50/50 games and hope to make the playoffs. USC and Washington are now after thoughts. Wisconsin, MSU, and Iowas are no longer plausible playoff teams. Michigan has been out of the playoffs too. A lot of big brands are being left out. Fran talks about making the playoffs. We have a chance in the ACC, but zero chance in the SEC or Big 10.

This is entirely why the B1G wants to expand the playoffs to 16 and guarantee 6+ spots for their member schools.