While conference realignment shakes college football to its core, the proverbial elephant in the room is what one of the sport’s premier programs will do next: independent Notre Dame.
Located in the heart of Big Ten country, it makes sense that the Irish would be viewed as a potential conference fit should they continue to look for expansion after acquiring USC and UCLA from the Pac-12. But if Notre Dame has its way, she won’t be following it anytime soon.
A source familiar with the school’s plans told Pat Ford of Sports Illustrated that the Irishman’s priority is to remain independent in football. From Ford:
A source familiar with the school’s thinking told Sports Illustrated that “independence remains the club’s preference and leader.” It will take a long time to dislodge Notre Dame from its treasured identity, but the instability of the entire landscape remains a problem and may further affect the Irish outlook.
Two areas to watch: The fate of both the College Football Playoff and the Atlantic Coast Conference. If either or both collapse, Notre Dame could be forced into the Big Ten. Under its current contract, the playoff ceases to exist in January 2026. There is no guarantee another iteration of it will take its place, regardless of size. “Most of the writing suggests a playoff and that he’s going to get bigger,” the industry source said. “I’m not sure about that assumption.”
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If the Big Ten and SEC separate from the rest of the sport, Ford wrote, then Notre Dame may be forced to join a conference to maintain a path to a national championship. The Irish have operated as an independent program since their inception in the late 19th century.
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For more on Notre Dame, go to Irish Breakdown
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