Tim Brando believes ND joins ACC within 3 years and

[pitt-girl]

As an ND fan, I don't mind the tougher road for ND to make the playoffs.

That is just part of the price of being independent. That is not something that should cause ND football to join a conference.

I appreciate your sentiment, but if ND should be shut out multiple times, I expect a change to be made. I can't believe that everyone surrounding the program is as magnanimous as you. Let's face it - ultimately it's about WINNING and becoming National Champs.

 

[PittMan 72]

I appreciate your sentiment, but if ND should be shut out multiple times, I expect a change to be made. I can't believe that everyone surrounding the program is as magnanimous as you. Let's face it - ultimately it's about WINNING and becoming National Champs.

Think it's going to be very tough for a 12 - 0 or 11 - 1 record team get in the CFP ahead of a 13 - 0 or 12 - 1 record team. Especially since that additional win will come from a conf. championship game.

 

[topdecktiger]

If you want to get right down to it, Notre Dame's "independence" is just a façade anyway. All their other sports are in a conference. Their bowl tie ins are with a conference. They play 5 football games a year against one conference. They aren't functionally independent at all. Really, they have the worst of both worlds at this point. They get less money than if they were full members, yet don't have the flexibility and opportunities that used to come with being a real independent.

 

[PittMan 72]

If you want to get right down to it, Notre Dame's "independence" is just a façade anyway. All their other sports are in a conference. Their bowl tie ins are with a conference. They play 5 football games a year against one conference. They aren't functionally independent at all. Really, they have the worst of both worlds at this point. They get less money than if they were full members, yet don't have the flexibility and opportunities that used to come with being a real independent.

And additionally, they CAN'T play that 13th game that those in a conference can by being in a conference championship game.

 

[Rockyhound]

And additionally, they CAN'T play that 13th game that those in a conference can by being in a conference championship game.

Technically they COULD arrange an annual road game at Hawaii and get that extra game. I think that's how it works though I doubt that would help their playoff chances.

 

[PittMan 72]

Technically they COULD arrange an annual road game at Hawaii and get that extra game. I think that's how it works though I doubt that would help their playoff chances.

Exactly. It would clearly not help ND's SOS and would also likely be a financial drain because of the travel costs for ND. In fact, I heard on the Sirius/XM college sports radio channel recently that Hawaii was a program that was considering looking into shutting down their football program for cost-related reasons.

But that extra game for the P5 conf. members is a factor. That already bit the Big XII in the rear in 2014 when 12 - 1 tOSU got picked ahead of both 11 - 1 Baylor and TCU. A large part of the committee's justification for that was because the Big XII had no conf. championship game to allow either BU or TCU to play that 13th game in a conf champ game vs a ranked opponent. Meanwhile tOSU won in impressive style in the B1G champ game over ranked Wisconsin.

The Big XII is going to start playing a champ game in 2017, even if they still have only 10 members. It'll be a repeat game (unless they expand between now and then) but they feel giving someone that 13th game at least gives them a better chance to be on equal terms for selection to the CFP.

 

[ricflair4LIFE]

That leads to the huge revenue increase for all members through an acc tv network

Ain't gonna happen.