If all this is true, ND is running scared. For years they swore by independence unless they had no access to the playoff. Well, after CFP changes that ND has been a part of crafting, they have as much access as ever. They were just on the wrong side of the bubble this year. But is this enough for them to go crawling to the forever-hated B1G? It appears so. You hate to see it 😆

As most people on here say, the ACC is toast in 3-4 years. ND is making plans for that, which they think/hope/know will include scheduling agreements with the Big Ten and/or the SEC. That is what is going on. ND isn't going to leave before then and pay exit fees.

kind of partial membership deal with ND. Of course, in 5-10 years the whole cfb structure could be radically different so...

..with ND merely agreeing to play "X" number of games against Big Ten schools but leave the ND/ACC relationship intact. Two other possible options discussed were ND putting other sports in the Big East or in the Big Ten. So, it is possible that ND and the Big Ten can do a stand alone scheduling deal. Think 3-4 games a year. The declared rationale of why the Big Ten would do this is that the SEC will if it does not and the Big Ten cannot afford to have those games go to the SEC instead of it. ** Edited by TerryD at 2/9/2026, 3:02:15 PM

...as in all things.

the Big 10 NEVER gives a partial scheduling agreement to host ND's Olympics. Personally, I think it's a good assumption. It will never happen. I think those days where ND ties themselves to a conference are over. The 12 year scheduling agreement with Clemson is where I'm basing my opinion. What if ND signs a 12 year scheduling agreement with Miami? I could see that based on their history. Possibly FSU as well. That would be 3 games with ACC teams that at least history shows would shore up ND's SOS. Add in a BYU, and you have 3-4 games a year. Now, do you think for one second that there are not Big 10 schools that would agree to a scheduling agreement like that? Remeber, that the networks that own the rights to Big 10 home games pay that money for eyeballs and ratings. There are also some SEC schools that would jump at the chance of having ND on campus every other year. LSU jumps to the front, but you see where I'm going with this. Miami would not have gotten into the playoffs without their game against ND. Hands down. We know what basketball is worth based on the Big Easts media contract. Could the ACC's basketball be worth more? the B12's? Maybe, but how much more? How much of ND's payout is based on their football scheduling agreement with the ACC? I don't know, no one ever seems to talk about it. If you are NBC, and you are giving $75M a year for the rights to ND's home games, what would it take for you to up that dollar amount the next time negotiations come up?*the Big 10 distributes about $80M per school for their medi deal, but they are top heavy with brands that can command that type of money, but they have to carry the Purdues and Rutgers (share revenue). It seems to me, that if ND loaded up their schedule with Clemson, Miami, FSU, BYU, LSU, MSU, (pick a Big 10 and SEC school), you now have a decent 8 game schedule with Navy. All they would have to do is write a contract for 10 years or so, and they can stager those contracts with outher schools as well. The problem with ND's SOS is they have to rotate through the entire ACC, not that they can not shedule decent schools. If I was NBC, i would be jumping on the TV set requireing ND to not schedule anymore ACC games except ones where they have inked an agreement with. I would force them to expand on the 12 year scheduling agreement, and start signing schools today, not later. The ACC bent the knee on uneven distributions, do you think for one second that they would not allow Miami, Clemson, and FSU to schedule late season games with ND? Be very careful what you guys ask for, because you just may lose those ND games.

post lean very heavily towards supporting ND, and creating a similar relationship that the B12 had with Texas. Ironically your tunnel vision on Notre Dame, makes you forget how close the B12 was to destroying itself. If the PAC hadn’t had Larry Scott one upping the B12 or had a competent Commissioner the PAC survives and B12 becomes the AAC level conference. Think from the ACC schools point of view and not the ND point of view, with 17 schools in the conference, having 3-4 being the only ones playing ND, is awful for the overall conference. Only Jim ND Phillips, TerryD, Domer and you would try to sell that as good for the ACC. 🤣 PS TerryD probably won’t say it’s good for the ACC, but he would say it’s good for ND, and that’s all he cares about. At least he wouldn’t mask it, and I respect that. That’s why TerryD and I don’t agree much, but I do respect his consistent and no nonsense position.

bigger picture. No matter what transpires in the future, today, the ACC is better with their association with ND than without it. The B12 doesn't have any classic blue bloods scheduling games an a regular basis - that, and they probably never will. I don't think my conference has a dog in the fight between ND and the ACC, but it is important if you think the ACC will implode around 2030. We could use a lunch pail over here - the Irish can go and do their own thing.

that was used with the B12 and Texas. You don’t build a team by showing favoritism. Anybody that has has ever led a team knows the divisive rat poison that favoritism causes. PS I know you can’t see it, but this is not the big picture for the ACC, let’s not kid ourselves, it’s tunnel vision for what is good for ND. 2-3 home games a year with only 3-4 teams playing them out of 17 is good for ND, not for building cohesion in the ACC, just like it wasn’t for the B12 when Texas was in the B12. Ask Texas A&M, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri etc. why they wanted out of the B12. Those are some amazing football programs historically,

rotation without concessions nor selectively open up late season dates for one on one scheduling deals versus conference matchups. I doubt very seriously you will see the SEC or B1G consider those options either.

it should be. I was thinking that if the ACC and ND decided to part ways, that the ACC would in all probability schedule around Clemson/ND games, and accomodate later in the season games. It's my "guess" that they would do it for Miami and FSU were they too signed a similar contract as Clemson has done. It's also my guess that the SEC would accomodate later in the season scheduling as well. Of course the B12 would grab their collective ankles to get games against B12 schools such as BYU, so I'm thinking this idea that they would not be able to schedule games when conference play bigins is false. Every network would accomodate a high profile ND game as they do bring in the numbers, and conferences would very much like to have even better numbers for the next round of negotiations. A 12 year contract with Clemson is worth something, as it would be for other high profile schools, no matter which conference they came from. Watch the numbers when ND visits BYU. It gets the numbers big time. ** Edited by Big12 guy at 2/9/2026, 5:49:33 PM

It’s fine to make room for Clemson-South Carolina and the other traditional SEC in-state rivals, or even Pitt-WVU or SMU-TCU, in the last week of the season but there is no value in doing it for anyone else on the other November dates.

late September for most teams. Then again, I am assuming ESPN doesn't have a similar requirement for the ACC that it did for the SEC where the conference must play at least 1 conference game every week of the regular season. Even if that is a scheduling requirement, it should still mean the bulk of the OOC games should be done by the first week in October with only the rivalry week games left on the schedule.

For whatever reason wanted to schedule a late game with FSU, would the ACC (ESPN) accommodate it? Seems to me that if there are Saturday high profile games later in the season, that the conferences and media companies would find a way to make it happen. I know the ACC contract lasts until 2036, but high profile games when the BIG blubloods are playing Rutgers should be something that the B12 and ACC should most definitely take advantage of.

You might have heard of it. The networks are not going to let Big Ten and SEC schools play those games? Why do you think those leagues expanded? Why do you think the SEC-ACC rivalries continue while Notre Dame-USC does not? It’s not that hard to understand. If the leagues had a long-term future, it might make a lot of sense for the ACC and Big 12 to have some sort of scheduling arrangement where over a week or 2-week period there would be inter-conference matchups. But that is not apt to happen because of the life span of each league’s current iteration and the different television contracts each has. There is zero reason for the ACC and ESPN to throw Notre Dame a one-off bone. That’s why Notre Dame and the ACC have their current arrangement. If that arrangement ends, the Irish can play Clemson and other ACC schools in September like everyone else. It would be foolish to do otherwise.

the season by giving them an at-large bid to the FBS Playoffs, then there is no reason for a team or conference take on that extra risk in the middle of the regular season. Rivalry Week is an exception to that rule because of the history connected to those rivalry games even when Rivalry Week was the last 2 week of the regular season.

have to be willing to be the away opponent even if the teams agree to do a home-home series and both games are played late in the season. 1 team is going to leave there with a L and no time to recover. Hence why I focused on the Committee's behavior because most likely it will be a home-home series instead of a 1 game neutral series so both networks will still end up with a slice of that money pie.

multiple high profile conference games left on its schedule. Plus, if Ohio State wants to play an OOC game in late October or early November, then that decision will impact at least 1 other Big Ten school too (aka whomever was originally going to be Ohio State's conference opponent that week). So either the other Big Ten team would have to use that as their bye week or fine an OOC game to fill their schedule. Not easy to do when majority of the FBS schools are in full swing of their conference schedule.

televising Big Ten conference games involving the big names. Trying to manipulate multiple conference schedules just to generate 1 marquee OOC every week in October and November doesn't seem financially worth it to everyone involved. If the Big Ten teams lose those games, then that could cost the Big Ten money because it receives fewer FBS Playoff spots. If Fox picks up any of that coverage in the future, then it will want to make sure it can broadcast as many of the games involving Big Ten teams so it can promote its regular season coverage every chance it gets. Basically what ESPN currently does now for any playoff games involving SEC teams.

to the ACC and B12. They should accomodate everything possible to up their ratings. So again, if a "top blue blood" for whatever reason wants to schedule a late season regular season game with a top ACC school, the ACC would (should) most definitely accomodate them. Same with the B12, same with the SEC, and ya, same with the Big 10. There is NO reason not to. I thought it was about ratings, eyeballs, and money. The media companies would be all over it.

in ratings because the BTN will have exclusive rights to the game. Plus, it is likely when the return game is played at FSU, then Ohio State will want that game played at the beginning of the season which doesn't help the ACC late in the season. If Ohio State wants to play FSU at home in late October, then at most 4 teams' conference schedule could be impacted by that decision; Ohio State, another Big Ten team, FSU, and another ACC team (aka whomever FSU was scheduled to play that week instead of Ohio State). The ACC, Big Ten, Big XII, and SEC are playing the game from a scheduling perspective; try to get as many teams in the FBS Playoffs as possible. The more teams that make it, the more more that goes into the conference's pocket. The reason the ACC is willing to accommodate Notre Dame is because they are a member of the ACC for all other sports. The ACC has no reason to be accommodating to non-members. Just like the Big Ten, Big XII, and SEC have no reason to be accommodating to ACC members. I'm pretty sure the networks understand that aspect of the game and not push the issue too much because the extra juice gained during the regular season may not be worth the squeeze (aka whatever is gained in the postseason).

in the Big 12, unless I missed where Ohio State has switched conferences.

valuable those ND games are to the ACC's media contract. Something that is not discussed while many are posting their disdain for the Irish. Even you would have to admit that if ND was not in the ACC, the ACC most certainly would accomodate a late season game with Clemson. Wouldn't you?

then why backtrack and say you weren't talking about the Big 10 but, the ACC and Big 12. You spam this board with so much junk you can't keep your thoughts straight. I have made my position on ND clear in multiple posts already

while were at it, FOX and the Big 10 are in the business of creating matchups that people want to watch. FOX pays a pretty penny IMO for the rights to those home games. It's pure common sense that FOX (the Big 10), and especially the ACC and B12 woiuld want matchups that bring the best bange for the buck. OK on ND, as that seems to be a tired subject on this board. Let me ask you this. If ESPN wanted to have a Tennessee VT matchup late in the season, for whatever reason, do you think for one second that the ACC would tell them no? C'mon man, of course they would accomodate, hands down, without exception. ** Edited by Big12 guy at 2/9/2026, 8:15:26 PM

Use your head. If ESPN wants two of their properties to play it might make it happen. I think you don’t understand how these things work. Notre Dame only gets an accommodation now because it is a partial member that ESPN gets to show two or three times a year. If the ACC-ND arrangement ends, the ACC and ESPN have no incentive to give the Irish favors.

enough quality content showing SEC conference games. There would be no reason to want to schedule an ACC-SEC OOC in the middle of October or early November and directly compete against the SEC conference games. Especially when it is getting near the end and people are waiting to find out who is crown SEC regular season champion and to see which 2 teams will play in the SECCG.

that NOBODY has a desire.for. How many late season OOC matchups can you recall in recent times? Nobody wants an OOC as conference races wind down. Nobody wants to run the risk of a late season loss that could torpedo playoff hopes with no time to recover, even in an era of playoff expansion. I think you should think about what you say a little more. ** Edited by 2hhoop3 at 2/9/2026, 8:21:17 PM ** Edited by 2hhoop3 at 2/9/2026, 8:22:02 PM

the playoffs because of their ND win. (feel free to disagree with me, but it's kinda obvious) Do you think that those on the bubble would risk a high profile out of conference game to get into the playoffs? I do. I also think it's irrelevent. The networks want the matchups that would bring in the most dollars (national eyeballs). What a conference wants, and what a shchool wants. is falling down the pecking order. I, as a casual fan, would most definitely watch another VT Tennessee match up. The later in the season, the better. Especially with your new coach. BTW, Notice the late games on VT's schedule. That is when things get interesting if VT steps it up. Put a tennessee game in there, and you have my full attention (and dollars).

Miami/ND game. I completely disagree with your line of thinking and you with mine. Not a shock and we will yet again just disagree.

you just once again fail to grasp the reality of the situation.

your definition of reality is flawed.

to think that, however, as you have demonstrated once again it is wholly another thing for you to be able to intelligently defend your thinking.

and you would naver admit you are wrong - to anyone. Haha, that is why I'm still here, almost exclusivly because of you. GTG, KU is about to get some good media numbers tonight as they take down Arizona. If you have the time, please make an attempt to answer my question in the new thread, I wait with anticipation.

to the board for keeping you around. I saw your hypothetical. You will be waiting for a long time before I would answer a useless hypothetical such as that but, it is what most expect from you here. ** Edited by 2hhoop3 at 2/9/2026, 8:57:13 PM

this board gave it to me. Those reasons are history, and I'm not stuck behind the desk anymore, so my time here is limited. I will keep up my subscription however, because it got me through a tough time. Good luck to you ---- not. ** Edited by Big12 guy at 2/9/2026, 8:59:24 PM