Traditional rivalries are big for the Irish, and some of their biggest ones are USC, Cal and Stanford. However, Notre Dame also wants to make a lot of demands. The Fighting Irish really having their cake and eating it as well. The caveat here is that while the Irish remain independent, they have to play five ACC teams in their football schedule.

They negotiated that into their contract with the ACC when their sports got merged with the conference, and that contract expires in 2036. So, Notre Dame is technically in the ACC for all of their sports except football and ice hockey. Notre Dame is also here, but it’s complicated. So as of (/checks clock) 10:00 am Eastern time, the current schools in the ACC are: Florida State, Miami, Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, NC State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Boston College, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia and Virginia Tech. So, let’s dig into what’s really happening along the Atlantic Coast and figure out what’s going on? Who is currently in the ACC? That leaves the Big 12, who continue to add the remnants of the Pac-12, the major Group of Five programs, and the ACC. The SEC and Big Ten are the two superpowers every major college program is going to try and align themselves with the two conferences because they make the most money and will have the most eyes on them. And that’s a good thing.With the fallout from the Pac-12 literally falling apart still shaking the college football world, the NCAA and fans turn their eyes to the ACC, where the conference could be the next one to experience a major overhaul. But the new contract indicates the higher ups in South Bend don’t believe that’s likely.

Of course, if the Big Ten or ACC comes calling with a money offer that is simply too good to turn down, the Notre Dame football team could change course. It allows for a level of self-determination that no other program in the country enjoys. Notre Dame football knows independence is keyīy signing the new deal, the Fighting Irish have blazed a trail that shows how to juggle staying out of a conference, making a ton of money and still having success. With the deal with NBC eventually reaching 39 years, it’s safe to say it will eventually go to 49 years if both sides are interested. And it means the Irish can stay independent for as long as they want. While specific dollar amounts were announced, it’s considered quite a lucrative deal. The deal will keep Notre Dame football games exclusively on NBC through the 2029 season.

The university and NBC announced a new contract extension just before the Golden Domers’ game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. They’re the only sport that isn’t affiliated with either the ACC or the Big Ten, and after Saturday’s announcement, it certainly appears as though that will remain the deal. Another round of shifts made it seem like either the ACC or the Big Ten would finally make an offer the Fighting Irish couldn’t refuse.īut if there were offers (and there were almost certainly overtures), Notre Dame football did say no. In the late summer of 2023, it suddenly felt like Notre Dame football joining a conference was a foregone conclusion. Notre Dame football has made it very clear that while conferences will come calling, they will all be told no for the foreseeable future.

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