except for BC. It doesn't make sense.

You make some valid points but you along with everyone else knows that Notre Dame values its football independence more than life itself. I feel like Notre Dame is afraid it would lose its identity if they joined a football conference. They are afraid that they'll become just another college football team and that all their traditions and history will gradually be forgotten over time. No one except for the Notre Dame fans will remember Knute Rockne, Rudy, The Leprechaun, their famous fight song and Touchdown Jesus. The traditionalists will never allow football conference membership to happen. I understand not wanting to give up traditions, but Tech gave up a big one in the 1980's when they stopped playing longtime rival VMI. That game was once bigger than UVA. Tech hasn't played VMI since 1984. What happen? Times changed. Tech was heading to big time football and VMI wasn't. Is Notre Dame living in the past by holding on to its football independence? I think so. By 2036, I have a feeling Notre Dame will finally give in simply because they'll have to in order to survive. The ACC agreement is just buying them more time to live in the past. I agree with TerryD that Notre Dame will never be a fulltime member of the ACC. They'll probably end up in the Big Ten by 2036 when they're finally forced to, OR they'll become a G-5 program to keep their football independence. Notre Dame's ego is too large to drop down to the G-5 level.