out during WWII pales in comparison. Notre Dame has been willing to repay that debt, so I do tip my cap to them. The 2020 season is a nothingburger because the school was not experiencing the same financial crisis it experienced during WWII. If the football program had opted that year, then in the grand scheme of things it would have taken a minor financial bump in the road. However, Notre Dame would have still eventually recovered from it. Likewise, it doesn't give the ACC some magical leverage over Notre Dame as you might think because Notre Dame knows what it means to be on the brink and 2020 wasn't close to getting to that point.

I will be curious to see how long the Notre Dame-Navy game will remain an annual game. For example, if the 3 academies ended up in a different division level or DI sub-division from Notre Dame for whatever reason, then would that be enough of a justification to reconsider the game remaining an annual game? In the years Navy is supposed to be the "home" team, what would be the perception for both Notre Dame (including fans) and the rest of the world to see Notre Dame's schedule include the following game? vs. Navy (as a DI-FCS school) at Honolulu, HI or San Diego, CA

have canceled their season if the SEC had. The SEC was the conference that said F that, we are playing.

Notre Dame or that Notre Dame should somehow still be grateful that the ACC allowed them to join the conference for 1 season.

But it will take time.

some of their schools go back historically. That being said, the ACC needs them now, more than ever, and IMHO, are lucky to be associated with them.

for their other sports?

We may have to spread our sports out over multiple conferences. But if you listen to the Dan Patrick interview, you would see that the relationship is broken. I’m not just speaking hot air or fan speak. Damage has been done.

Anyone could have seen this coming a mile away. Things are entirely different in 2025 compared to how they were in 2012 - ND has zero need for the ACC now; it does nothing for them. They can schedule literally whoever they want in football, any time they want. So, why should they agree to play games vs. Wake Forest, Duke, or SMU? Or any of the G5 backfills that everyone knows are coming here in a few years? Regarding all other sports - I also imagine ND would actually PREFER to now have their basketball and non-rev sports in the Big East, where they would be playing other Catholic schools in big metro areas, where there are lots of Catholics and "subway alumni." That wasn't an available option for ND in 2011-2012 - go look at what the Big East consisted of in that time frame, and you'll understand why. It also helps to realize that nobody was aware then that the 7 private Catholic schools in the then-Big East were going to successfully work a deal to retain the conference trademarks, records, etc., while the other schools formed a new conference, which became the American. It's been plain as day to anyone with a brain that, at the first opportunity, ND was going to axe its football scheduling agreement with the ACC, and move all its non-football sports to the Big East, or elsewhere as necessary for the more obscure sports. All it needed was a good starting block from which to begin to maneuver, and now they have it.

would engage in the same lobbying activities as the Big Ten, Big XII, and SEC did at various times this season and prior seasons. If Notre Dame is going to be upset at anyone, then it should be at the Committee for its decision to keep Alabama in the field over Notre Dame. Alabama's loss to FSU is worse even before factoring in the result of the SEC Championship Game. I do agree the relationship is broken and it probably was always broken from the start because Notre Dame wasn't willing to be 100% committed to the ACC in the 2 revenue sports. I do find it a little ironic that the Notre Dame might decide to re-join the Big East. I say that because when the ACC-Notre Dame deal was announced I remember asking on here why didn't Notre Dame just remain in the Big East since it was essentially becoming a Catholic conference again after kicking out the football schools. The most common response I got, I think from Irish fans, was that the Big East wasn't high profile enough and/or athletics might take a hit. If Notre Dame lets their emotions cloud their judgment and they decide to leave the ACC for the Big East, then I guess we'll see if that ends up being true or not. If Notre Dame decides to join another FBS conference, then I suspect the same "problems" that exist in the ACC will likely exist in the new home because of the football issue.

2nd tier big, public schools and private Catholic institutions of varying quality, and that nobody knew then that the old-school "Catholic 7" were going to not only break away, but also take the Big East trademarks, branding, record books, etc. with them while the rest of the remaining post-ACC/B12 raid schools formed the new AAC out of whole cloth. If ND had a crystal ball in 2011, and could see how the next 5-6 years were going to play out, I think they'd have committed to remain with the Catholic 7 in the Big East for non-football sports.

when it was going to happen because the balancing act was not sustainable in the long-term.

retain the Big East trademarks, record books, etc. That really changed the calculus, and, look where they are now - at least in basketball, they're still considered (and are IMO) a major power in the sport.

anything (assuming no one retained the name).