ND’s scheduling dillemma
The ND’s scheduling dilemma, as I see it, is that they cannot find many strong opponents late in the season.
ND used to have a very strong SOS, one of the nation’s toughest schedules. Some ND exceptionalists probably still believe that ND can schedule any team any time. That’s not entirely true anymore.
Sure, many blue chip teams would schedule ND in the early season, but the conferences do not usually like their schools scheduling a power level OOC game toward the end of the season (except for four SEC/ACC matchups in rivalry week).
One reason why the USC/ND series is at peril is because the B1G didn’t like USC playing ND in the last week of the season. That messes up the conference schedule. (Just heard 2026 game is being cancelled and ND is going to play BYU instead.)
As a result, ND tends to play the ACC games in the late season, and ND fans blame the ACC for their weakened SOS. Well, I don’t think it’ll be easy for ND to schedule blue blood schools in the late season anyway.
Obviously, ND’s SOS would be stronger if ND can play more ACC football brands and fewer ACC non football brands, and there were reports around the time the ESPN contract got renewed that ND may get to play more Clemson/FSU/Miami. Well, I doubt that non football brand ACC schools would love that idea, and there was no follow-up on the scheduling tweak as far as I know.
Instead, ND entered into a separate deal with Clemson (ND wanted all Clemson games counted toward the five-game arrangement, but Phillips said no).
From this angle, it’s no surprise ND’s AD approached Sankey. Pete B. called Sankey right after the snub (mainly for playoff format). The SEC has many football brands, and playing more SEC schools would definitely strengthen ND’s SOS.
But that would also boost TV ratings and increase ad revenue and enrich ESPN, the entity which played the ND-Miami game more than a dozen times on ACCN right before the selection.
That’s the irony.
35 Replies
7mo
the game will be late in the season, maybe even ND's last game. Gives BYU a chance to strengthen their schedule, and the rumors are that they are discussing a longer term deal. A compelling game if both programs continue to have one or two losses each year, and from where I'm sitting, it's a no brainer.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
7mo
Not saying it can't happen - since this is a one-off home/home.
However, BYU has 9 conference games in 2026 - one already must be in September. Seven of their games - now including ND - are at home.
Maybe I'm missing something, but which other conference member is going to give up a currently scheduled OOC September game (quite likely an easy cupcake at home) - so they can play their conference game with BYU in September - so that ND can play BYU late in the season?
** Edited by RTFC at 12/23/2025, 5:42:23 PM
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
7mo
find ways to increase the viewership numbers for the upcoming media negotiations. K-State and ISU as an example opened their season with a conference game last year. i don't understand why many think that a conference or school would not be accommodating with the conference schedule.
Might be an issue with some of the blue bloods in the BIG and SEC, but there a LOT of other schools where it is more important to fill up their stadium, and get the exposure that ND offers.
Also, las I checked, the blue bloods in the BIG and SEC don't exactly play tough schedules any differently than ND. ND needs a conference for their Olympics, but i really think the narrative that they would have difficulty scheduling a BIG or SEC type of schedule is way over blown.
(In response to this post by RTFC)
7mo
The ND boards talk about difficulty scheduling. They NEED the scheduling agreement - they had other options for non revs, but those would not have provided football games - including some historically (not recently) good teams.
Sure, schools WANT to fill stadiums, but they have to play conference games - the smaller, less desirable football conference teams aren't going watch ND play all the bigger teams in that conference - the ones ND would rather play - while they lose conference games AND the possibility of playing ND in an ACC type agreement - otherwise why have the conference?
Those "other" type schools (Wake, Duke, etc.) are who ND plays now with the scheduling agreement - the blue bloods don't need to fill stadiums. Why take a chance on an early loss that knocks you out of CFP discussion? This is exactly what happened to ND. If they were in a conference, they would have either won it (ACC) or been in bigger games at end of year (SEC, B1G) and the SOS would probably have been high enough above Miami to make a difference.
The fact that some mid level B12 teams will rearrange doesn't move the needle for ND games - they have that level team with the ACC.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
7mo
of college athletics is dynamic in nature, as it is constantly changing. Lets see what happens with the ACC as 2030 approaches. I don't really see the urgency except maybe the ACC fans are tired of ND.
Why would they change if they don't have too?
(In response to this post by RTFC)
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TerryD
7mo
I keep hearing that ND will have "scheduling issues" which will force it into a conference against its will.
I then see ND do home-and-home deals with many Big Ten and SEC programs, even after being told it can't happen.
I put "scheduling issues" in the same category as the other twenty or so "sure fire" things to force ND that have come and gone over the last couple of decades.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
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Truthahn
7mo
ND's history is to schedule BYU for ND home games, and then postpone or cancel the return game, or move it to a neutral site (Las Vegas which was originally supposed to be in Provo).
I think BYU insisted that the series start in Provo, so there can be no funny business with that game, then play at ND later.
Even better for BYU, is that they have Notre Dame and all their fans selling how great BYU is to the world. They have to pump that game up. It probably will be near the end of the year, with ND telling everyone that it is should be valued like a championship game wrt the CFP.
Good for BYU.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
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jrc3rd
7mo
was one of the reasons they gave for being an independant.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
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TerryD
7mo
ND replaced USC with BYU in short order.
USC tried the ole' bait and switch on ND at the last moment, on the cusp of announcing an extension, then changing the date of the games negotiated.
USC believed its own propaganda that ND needed the series more and would have no choice but submit.
Instead, ND said adios and promptly scheduled BYU instead.
(In response to this post by jrc3rd)
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jrc3rd
7mo
they all told me ND was their biggest rival. Not UCLA.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
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Stech
7mo
maybe the SEC and B1G for the 5-6 games. Believe it or not, I am okay with that, their candy cake schedule is not much better than the G5's and I get the ACC being down except for Miami is a big reason for that.
*No penalties is why they made a fuss with the ACC and not Bama that got blown out by FSU and Georgia the day before the selection. Pay the fricking penalties ND or wait, please just stop with all of your power, trying to play the VICTIM CARD!!
No one is buying it anymore.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
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TerryD
7mo
There is no objective evidence that ND is trying to leave the ACC.
(In response to this post by Stech)
7mo
The ACC is dead man walking.
The only reason for ND to hang around is if it can’t find a better way to fill its November football schedule and a decent place to park its other sports.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
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TerryD
7mo
But, likely nothing more than that.
(In response to this post by Tailgate Guru)
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Stech
7mo
series with Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Texas, BYU, and Indiana.
Also, a 12-year deal with Clemson. (Many think they are P2 bound)
Facts! Don't be surprised if that is the end game, you heard it here first.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
7mo
I see you don't respond to the factual posts listing NDs future schedules - when the ACC typically requires ND to schedule late in the season with our conference games...and when ND has only 2 Oct/Nov games against the SEC or B1G in the next 10 years...
If ND has other end of season options, why don't they schedule them at the end of the season now?
Because other conferences don't want to - they, and the ACC, schedule conference/long term partner games then.
Why did ND run away from USC - because USC wanted to move the game to early in the season - ND didn't want that, they need the appearance of scheduling P4s outside of the ACC at end of season to appear independent.
ND always wants special rules for them. I am familiar with why people need/want special accommodations.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
7mo
that will be played in September of various years.
(In response to this post by Stech)
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saret
7mo
because their record would be not good enough.
(In response to this post by Stech)
7mo
The problem is that it’s still perceived to be not as strong as the SEC schedule (whether that’s true or not).
Their 2026 schedule looks like this:
09/06 - vs. Wisconsin (in Green Bay, WI)
09/12 - Rice
09/19 - Michigan State
09/26 - at Purdue
10/03 - at North Carolina
10/31 - vs. Navy (in Foxborough, MA)
11/07 - Miami (FL)
11/21 - Boston College
TBA - SMU
TBA - Stanford
TBA - at Syracuse
TBA - at BYU
Pundits will complain that ND got “easy” scheduling by playing Navy, Cuse, Stanford, BC, Purdue, and Rice.
And I bet this will drive ND fans crazy.
(In response to this post by saret)
7mo
It's 3 games. Miami, SMU, BYU. And two of those three are at home, against warm weather teams, with one (Miami) in cold weather, how much do you want to bet that the other (SMU) will also conveniently be scheduled later in the season?
The other 9 games are against crap teams. Some of them (UNC, Mich St, Wisconsin) are "big brands", but not good at actually playing football. Many (Rice, Cuse, BC, Purdue, Stanford) are perennial bottom feeders. And I don't want to hear about the wonderful tradition of ND beating Navy for something like 273 consecutive seasons. Navy hasn't been football relevant since Roger Staubach suited up.
And to think that this joke of a schedule has been assembled by a school that is the only institution in D1 with its own special "win and you're in" clause in the CFP. Pathetic.
** Edited by Gobbler Guru at 12/23/2025, 12:52:13 PM
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
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saret
7mo
comes down to ND expecting special consideration simply because of who they are. They lost 2 games at the beginning of the year to two teams that made the CFP. Every body has to worry about their SoS, except, according to ND, Notre Dame. Strengthen their SoS, AND win those games, and they're in. But, no special consideration. ND wants, and covets, its independence. That independence has benefits and negatives. They only want the benefits, but don't want to face the negatives that result from that independence. They can man up like everybody else.
** Edited by saret at 12/22/2025, 8:55:47 PM
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
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TerryD
7mo
Notre Dame's future schedules include home-and-home series with Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Texas, BYU, and Indiana.
Also, a 12-year deal with Clemson.
Plus, the 5-6 ACC games.
Where is evidence of ND's desire to not "play a solid SoS?
(In response to this post by saret)
7mo
Late season games are the problem.
Every sane person knows this. It is talked about frequently on ND boards.
ND can't maintain a good SOS with only good September games (and recent poor ACC teams). They can't even have a consistent, late season, P4 schedule without the ACC scheduling agreement. Read all of that. Consistent. P4. Late season.
Conference teams set WHO they play years in advance (ND is in the ACC for that "scheduling") Except for ND games, they don't decide WHEN conference teams play until that year, and those games are in Oct/Nov - that year is too late for ND to only pick up leftovers who might have an open date late in the season.
Yes, the lack of recent ACC success is hurting NDs schedule; well, except Miami - that hurt it in a different way. But they don't have many options AND still maintain their precious "independence". If they did they would be scheduling them late in the season now. They can't (except for occasional one offs) Conference teams have conference obligations in Oct/Nov and conferences are only going to require more games.
** Edited by RTFC at 12/23/2025, 12:34:48 AM
(In response to this post by TerryD)
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saret
7mo
to get a better SoS, instead of whining about being treated poorly. Now, when they beat the teams you named, I'll make a full mea culpa.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
7mo
but all the Power 4 conferences refused to play Notre Dame in football, forcing them to eventually join a P-4 conference for all sports? Notre Dame's schedule would be filled with 12 G-5 games. I guess they'd get in the playoffs as the highest ranked G-5 school but NBC would end their relationship with them when their contract is to be renewed. I doubt this scenario would ever happen but if it did, Notre Dame would have to join a P-4 conference. What I'm saying is Notre Dame needs the Power 4 more than the Power 4 needs them.
(In response to this post by Stech)
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Stech
7mo
already on the schedule.
(In response to this post by Old Line Hokie)
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Vippie1
7mo
They need a better schedule. Problem is they need the sec or b1g more than vice versa. And those conferences know it. ND thinks their relationship with the ACC isnt trustworthy , lol, wait until they get in bed with the sec.
The reality is ND is just hoping to kick the can down the street as long as they can. Ultimately they will have to be part of the B1G or P2 and then are always just a couple of .500 seasons away from just being another brand. Anyone with half a brain in South Bend realizes that independence won't be sustainable in the long term. But they are going to scatch and claw as long as they can to resist. If that means throwing the acc under the bus and making it look like it happened the other way, so be it, if it buys a few more seasons
(In response to this post by Stech)
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2hhoop3
7mo
appearance, not the reality. That is what makes the USC game so attractive. Two blue bloods meeting in the Pretenders Bowl. ND would be happy scheduling the bottom of the SEC or B1G but, the top is likely more than their program can handle and keep their playoff hopes alive.
(In response to this post by Stech)