Notre Dame/ACC/B12 Question
I know ND is firmly holding as a football independent. If for some reason ND feels it has to join the conference (and for this argument, let's say the move is done by or before 2031), what would ND prefer? Also for this argument, I want to assume AQs have been passed for the CFP, and no other realignment has taken place. For te B10/SEC offers, ND would get to bring one other team.
Would ND prefer:
1. Join the B10 in everything, though they may end up feeling just like a top B10 team w/out the specialness of being independent - however, they will get to go coast-to-coast, though miss a lot of the SE USA.
2. Join the SEC in everything - they would be the loan mid-west team in this scenario, but may feel limited in being only in the SE portion of the US.
3. Join a hodge-podge of the best teams/brands from the ACC/B12 to form a 20-team league. This conference would be spread out like the B10, but ND would feel like they are the ones in control of the conference. I don't think they would join the ACC or B12 as they are now.
If #3 would happen, could you see the B10 and SEC agree to have 4 AQs for the B10, SEC, and this new hodge-podge? This would give a 4-4-4-1-3 CFP model. B10/SEC fans that like the thought of AQs may like this better - it still only gives ACC/B12 teams that make it into this new conference 4 bids. It also could eliminate ND from getting an at-large bid (unless they are the 5th/6th best team of the conference and get an at-large that way). If ND is almost always a top-4 in their conference, that gives the B10/SEC another opening. If the people in charge don't want a committee, they could go 5-5-5-1-0.
32 Replies
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Stech
12mo
TerryD and Domer is that correct? @HOO86 what do you know about this situation?
PS If so, I assume there is a time limit, and maybe even something about x number of teams not leaving.
** Edited by Stech at 8/4/2025, 5:57:03 PM
(In response to this post by The_VT_Rock)
12mo
We konw BIG picture, the broadcasting of games and rights will be allocated on ratings (eyeballs) and brand teams. Part of getting more games that generate ratings would be repositioning allocated ND ACC games from current plans through 2036 to the name brand teams. Therefore some of the off brand teams might never get ND at home or rarely play them at all. I wonder if ND agreed to that, with the condition of removing that clause.
Alot of moving parts to keep the conference whole and competitive NOW.
(In response to this post by Stech)
12mo
expensive as it is for other ACC schools because ND isn't a member for football.
(In response to this post by Stech)
12mo
They are not a member of football. So they're not buying out of football membership
But Notre Dame values their football independence, and I see nothing happening in college football that will push them to a different decision.
** Edited by wwhokie1 at 8/5/2025, 10:31:09 AM
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)
12mo
So, June 30, 2037.
Unless they buy their way out, and I feel that ESPN will make it very lucrative for ND to remain in the ACC.
(In response to this post by Stech)
12mo
Right now where happy.
(In response to this post by Stech)
12mo
(In response to this post by The_VT_Rock)
12mo
Who do you believe would join with them? ND would certainly be able to bring whoever they wanted.
(In response to this post by goldendomer)
12mo
(In response to this post by Millpoint)
12mo
go to bat for and love the smell of their farts. I hate the game and wish we would sever ties.
(In response to this post by Millpoint)
H
hokieZ71
12mo
For some reason, I canât see Notre Dame in a midwestern division in the B1G. But they seem to fit with the West Coast schools.
I also see FSU/Miami/UVA joining Penn State/MD/Rutgers and then Kansas getting added
(In response to this post by goldendomer)
12mo
Coast group over the West Coast group?
(In response to this post by hokieZ71)
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Stech
12mo
The ACC is rooted in the Southeast, College Football is dominated by the South, if UNC and UVA join the SEC, it honestly becomes a pretty good Academic Conference at the top. That might be enough to tell the B1G, thanks for the offer, but we have no intention of being your little puppy dog. đ¤ˇââī¸
** Edited by Stech at 8/5/2025, 7:27:54 AM
(In response to this post by goldendomer)
12mo
There's zero benefit there
(In response to this post by Stech)
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Stech
12mo
and the rest of their athletic teams.
In addition to the athletic component, Notre Dameâs president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., said the ACC offers other advantages.
âThe ACC is composed of some of the most highly respected universities in the country, and we at Notre Dame look forward to joining them,â Father Jenkins said. âWith a mix of institutions â many of which are also private, similar to Notre Dame in size, and committed to excellence in research and undergraduate education â the ACC is an exceptionally good fit for us academically, as well as athletically.â
Father Jenkins added: âIt is our hope that, over time, we will be able to explore the possibility of academic collaboration as well as athletic competition with these outstanding universities.â
(In response to this post by Pylons)
12mo
program. He wants to win and the new AD/President is tasked to get that done.
(In response to this post by Stech)
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Stech
12mo
IF they choose another one. My point is that IF they get forced to choose another Conference, the SEC could be more in play than the B1G thinks with the Academic improvement and potential improvement of the SEC Academically.
By the way, I donât necessarily agree with this approach, but Presidents at highly rated Academic Schools love to bring it up when they join a Conference, just like Father Jenkins did. I get that Pylons doesnât care, but that doesnât mean many of the Academic Staff feel the same way. They say this for a reason.
(In response to this post by goldendomer)
12mo
And the reason is window dressing, like I said below. A school changing conferences is a big PR deal, so presidents feel compelled to speak about it. Being leaders of ACADEMIC institutions, they feel like they have to address academics...so they spin what they can. They don't "love to bring it up," they *have* to bring it up to support the charade. That's sourced from the same place that has resisted like hell to recognize players as employees and pay them. That ruins the charade and becomes a tacit admission that playing sports isn't about the university mission.
Ever hear any academic other than a president speak about how conference membership is going to be a boon for their work? If "many of the Academic Staff feel the same way," I would think it has happened quite a bit . I've spent a lot of time in academia (including working in the highest academic office at VT)...I've never heard anyone speak of conference membership impacting academics...for them personally or for higher levels.
The reality is conference membership makes no real difference academically. Why would it? Seriously...tell me what would change for ND academics if they joined a conference...either good or bad. Walk me through how Father Jenkins' "academic collaboration" is facilitated via playing sports together.
(In response to this post by Stech)
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Stech
12mo
window dressing to CYA against those that care about it like Susan Estrich at UNC or whatever her name was that stuck her nose up at Virginia Tech while one of the biggest Academic Scandals was happening at her holier than thou University. The good thing is UNC played a huge price for it! đ¤Ŗ
That said, snobbery is real, and I donât see Notre Dame joining the B12 ever for all sports and 5 football games. I could see them joining an ACC Big East merger. Why? Because the Academic snobbery does exist at certain universities. I believe the only reason Stanford and Cal joined the ATLANTIC Coast Conference instead of the B12, is Academic snobbery. I still think those joining the ATLANTIC Coast Conference is absurd. However, right pinky up on my cup of tea as I say this TIC, they just arenât our our cup of tea does exist in Academia.
So maybe, just maybe, we agree, more than we disagree. đĢđ
(In response to this post by Pylons)
12mo
I'm not saying academic snobbery doesn't exist. I know it does. I'm saying it's not a driver of athletics decisions...nothing beyond *maybe* a tie-breaker type role...and then, yes, because of image, not because of any actual academic work.
I've seen no indication the B12 ever even wanted Stanford and Cal, so I'm not sure how they chose ACC "instead of" B12.
It's also not like the P12 was chock full of top academic institutions beyond Stanford and Cal and a couple others, yet they were perfectly happy there with the highest of academic reputations for how long?
(In response to this post by Stech)
12mo
something to do with the actual mission of the institution has to stay alive. It's a very public move for the university, so the president feels compelled to speak on it...and he's got to say something beyond what it would be appropriate for the AD to say.
Academic collaboration doesn't happen because of athletics relationships. It's nonsensical. Joining together to play sports doesn't open academic doors that weren't already open. It facilitates nothing of significance academically.
(In response to this post by Stech)
12mo
scheduling deals like they just inked with Clemson. LSU would do it in a heartbeat, as would ANY school not in the P2. If, and it's still an if, the ACC and B12 merge, poach, or whatever happens, as long as ND has access to the playoffs, they could park their other sports in the mostly Catholic Big East. Unless, like currently with the ACC, they get a good enough deal for their basketball and non revs, maybe the ACC/B12 (whichever name you want to call it), could always buy some home football games.
ND will not, even in this environment, have issues scheduling for football. Have long term scheduling agreements with 5 or 6 schools like Clemson, and they will be fine.
(In response to this post by goldendomer)
12mo
The Big East is possible. I was more thinking if we had no choice.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
12mo
could be a bit different. There are a lot of ND alumni in Arizona for instance. A BYU series is pretty attractive if BYU can sustain a good football program. After that, it drops off for ND type of opponents, but I was making the assumption that there would be some sort of ACC/B12 hybrid, and the ACC as we now know it, didn't exist.
I'm not convinced the Big East would provide enough money for ND athletics.
(In response to this post by goldendomer)
12mo
content. The amount of games IMO would have to be reduced.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
12mo
home games are worth. So have the conferences. If the BIG schools for instance, would not enter into a long term scheduling agreement, ND could still put together a BIG or SEC kind of regular schedule without a 4 or 5 game commitment to the ACC, B12, or even a hybrid.
(In response to this post by goldendomer)
12mo
isn't apart of that group, then it would be interesting to see what ND does to continue its national scheduling policy with the remaining schools.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
12mo
(In response to this post by VTHokie2000)
12mo
championships; FBS National Championship and the NCAA DI Football National Championship (aka DI-FCS Playoffs).
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)