I watched the press conference and another interview and this is my take: It doesn't appear that ND is leaving now. They'll consider their options for sure in 2030 or later but nothing imminent. ND isn't used to getting the short end of the stick, and the fan/donor base is very angry. So the AD needs to vent that public anger somehow. But more importantly, a shrewd politician knows what to do when **** happens. He had to say something; otherwise, THE ANGER WOULD COME FOR HIM. Phillips got burned two years ago when FSU didn't make the playoff. BYU fans (and some Big 12 fans) now say Yormark should've done more to promote BYU. I wonder if the result might've been any different if Swarbrick were still the AD. Maybe some other ND fans would too. This is what he said during interviews: -Pete B. said a lot of people more important than him are angry. -But when somebody asked him directly if he's considering a new partnership with a different league, he said he hasn't thought about that yet—he's still in grieving mode. -He also reiterated that ND wants independence. -The only commissioner he contacted after the snub was Greg Sankey, and that wasn't about conference realignment. Apparently, they discussed the CFP format, and ND's preference is the 5+11 model. (I think he wanted to make sure ND is protected in the future) -He also mentioned the MOU for next year, which would let ND in as long as they're in the top 12. (he had to let people know this won’t happen again). Just my take.