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Why do people care if ND is in a conference?

Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:58 am
Posted by jlovel7
NOT Louisiana
Member since Aug 2014
23820 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:58 am
I never got this. There are plenty of ACC and BIG 12 teams that play weak schedules. Them joining the ACC doesn’t make their schedule any stronger IMO.

Don’t they still generally play a similar number of P4 teams historically as those in conferences? I know for a long time they never played FCS schools. Yes they play navy annually but that’s one of their soft games like everyone has.

I hate notre dame don’t get me wrong but them being an independent has never bothered me.
Posted by chalmetteowl
Chalmette
Member since Jan 2008
53641 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:02 am to
Conference play is different…
Posted by BigTigerJoe
Member since Aug 2022
11245 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:04 am to
quote:

I hate notre dame don’t get me wrong but them being an independent has never bothered me.

Take off their gear and quit fantasizing about the ND leprechaun.
Posted by AbuTheMonkey
Chicago, IL
Member since May 2014
8577 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:07 am to
We're not reliant upon a collective like a bunch of jealous socialists.

More teams should go independent, especially in this era of megaconferences with uneven scheduling. What, in reality, does Texas have in common with Mississippi State or South Carolina? Florida with Missouri? USC with Rutgers? Ohio State with Maryland? Arizona with West Virginia? BYU with Cincinnati? Miami with Boston College?

Not much. Shared history, culture, lineage, fanbases?

I wouldn't be surprised if you saw more schools try independence moving forward, especially if the power conferences break off into their own entity. Conferences are becoming a legacy of a past that is anachronistic. They only exist at this point for scheduling.
This post was edited on 12/4/25 at 11:08 am
Posted by Buckeye Fan 19
Member since Dec 2007
36411 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:20 am to
Because people like socialism and don’t appreciate when an organization stands against it.
Posted by Dantheman504
N/A
Member since Jun 2013
5803 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:20 am to
quote:

Why do people care if ND is in a conference?

If ND was in the ACC then there's a pretty high probability that the ACC championship would be Miami vs ND. Which means an appropriate team gets a playoff spot AND (2) teams that normally play week arse schedules actually have atleast 1 competitive game to prepare for.

quote:

Them joining the ACC doesn’t make their schedule any stronger IMO.

Right now (1) of Miami/ ND will get in and (1) gets left out. If ND joined the ACC then we would know which one deserves it more.

Not only would you be saving an extra playoff spot most years but you would also have a more fair evaluation of the teams in order to appropriately rank them.

ND without a conference is essentially just a #6 autobid in a playoff that should only have 4 auto bids anyway. At the very least make it a true "5" auto bid and force them to play in a conference championship.
This post was edited on 12/4/25 at 11:22 am
Posted by Epic Cajun
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2013
36315 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:21 am to
quote:

Why do people care if ND is in a conference?

In the current setup with 5 guaranteed conference champions getting in, they are basically allowing for 1 more weaker team to make the playoff.

If they were in the ACC for example, they would've gotten in over Clemson last season and whatever shite tier ACC team or second G5 team is going to make the playoff. Basically we would get in one more "good" at large team if they were in a conference.
Posted by Guzzlingil
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2003
2198 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:49 am to
Cause they don't play anyone.
Posted by chalmetteowl
Chalmette
Member since Jan 2008
53641 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:50 am to
quote:

they are basically allowing for 1 more weaker team to make the playoff.


They’re an at large though
Posted by lionward2014
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2015
13387 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:55 am to
The premise is that they play an "easy schedule" and being in a P4 conference makes their schedule harder.

That premise is wrong unless the SEC takes them.

They play 6 ACC games instead of 9. If it aligned that they got UVA, SMU, or GT this season their schedule would have looked better but if they got UNC, VT, or FSU it wouldn't have changed.

As it stands, they played 2 SEC schools and 2 Big 10 schools. Not like they are hiding from the P4, just so happens the ACC teams on their schedule sucked, and Arkansas was atrocious.

ETA: Next year it is 6 ACC, 4 Big 10, and 2 AAC.
This post was edited on 12/4/25 at 11:59 am
Posted by RemouladeSawce
Uranus
Member since Sep 2008
17028 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:15 pm to
quote:

Conference play is different…
Even if it’s an average conference, it’s a completely different world when you play the same teams constantly. They know what you do well (and not well). They pick up your tendencies. They circle you early

It’s a different dynamic as a one-off OOC nuisance
Posted by Dantheman504
N/A
Member since Jun 2013
5803 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:20 pm to
quote:

Not like they are hiding from the P4, just so happens the ACC teams on their schedule sucked, and Arkansas was atrocious.

Right. Maybe there should be a game that forces you to play another team that doesn't suck if you are really good.....

quote:

The premise is that they play an "easy schedule" and being in a P4 conference makes their schedule harder.

Well the other good teams are forced to play an extra game against teams that don't "suck" or aren't "atrocious" so yeah that automatically makes the schedule harder.

You really can't process that ND being forced to play the best team in the ACC makes their schedule harder than not being forced to play the best team in the ACC?
This post was edited on 12/4/25 at 12:24 pm
Posted by Robert Shields
Member since Sep 2009
93 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:21 pm to
Pat Narduzzi when asked if the ND game was a "must win"

"Absolutely not. It is not an ACC game. I’m glad you brought that up. It’s not an ACC game. I’d gladly get beat 103 or 110-10 in that game. They could put 100 up on us as long as we win the next two after that".
Posted by Epic Cajun
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2013
36315 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:21 pm to
quote:

They’re an at large though

Right, and they should be a conference champion. By them being an at large rather than a conference champion they are allowing for a shitty conference champion to be included.

Look at this hypothetical, let’s say that ND was in the ACC this season, they would be in the ACC championship vs Virginia. They would win, and now instead of having Virginia in the CFP, it would allow for another at large to be included, which would be maybe Miami, or Texas.

So in that scenario you’d have both ND and Miami in the playoff rather than the current scenario where you’ll have ND and Virginia in the playoff.

I want whatever scenario allows for more “good” games, having a team like Virginia make the playoff eliminates a “good” game from the playoff. A 6/11 match up of Ole Miss vs Miami is a much better game than a 6/11 matchup of Ole Miss vs Virginia.

ETA: if the committee is going to keep auto-bids they should change it to the four highest ranked conference champions and then either the 5th highest ranked conference champion or the highest ranked independent school, whichever is ranked the highest.
This post was edited on 12/4/25 at 12:26 pm
Posted by lionward2014
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2015
13387 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:22 pm to
quote:

Even if it’s an average conference, it’s a completely different world when you play the same teams constantly. They know what you do well (and not well). They pick up your tendencies. They circle you early


ND plays everyone in the ACC at least 1 time every 3 years. The SEC and Big 10 play their non-permanent opponents 1 time every 2 years. Is that really that different? It's not 10 team conferences where you play everyone yearly anymore.
Posted by lionward2014
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2015
13387 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:24 pm to
quote:

Right. Maybe there should be a game that forces you to play another team that doesn't suck if you are really good.....



What's the excuse for Ole Miss, TAMU, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Miami then? They are all not playing in their conference championship game.
Posted by lionward2014
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2015
13387 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:25 pm to
quote:

Pat Narduzzi when asked if the ND game was a "must win"

"Absolutely not. It is not an ACC game. I’m glad you brought that up. It’s not an ACC game. I’d gladly get beat 103 or 110-10 in that game. They could put 100 up on us as long as we win the next two after that".


And then proceeds to call a timeout to score a touchdown against backups with 7 seconds left in a game that means nothing to him. Dude is a lying chode.
Posted by Dr RC
The Money Pit
Member since Aug 2011
61237 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:26 pm to
quote:

Conference play is different…


I mean.. if they had half a schedule of G5s maybe that would hold water as an argument but they usually only play 2-3 G5s and they almost never play FCS teams.
This post was edited on 12/4/25 at 12:28 pm
Posted by lionward2014
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2015
13387 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:26 pm to
quote:

Right, and they should be a conference champion. By them being an at large rather than a conference champion they are allowing for a shitty conference champion to be included.

Look at this hypothetical, let’s say that ND was in the ACC this season, they would be in the ACC championship vs Virginia. They would win, and now instead of having Virginia in the CFP, it would allow for another at large to be included, which would be maybe Miami, or Texas.

So in that scenario you’d have both ND and Miami in the playoff rather than the current scenario where you’ll have ND and Virginia in the playoff.

I want whatever scenario allows for more “good” games, having a team like Virginia make the playoff eliminates a “good” game from the playoff. A 6/11 match up of Ole Miss vs Miami is a much better game than a 6/11 matchup of Ole Miss vs Virginia.


This is the only take so far that makes sense in this thread so far. Eliminating auto bids except for highest rated G5 team is the way to go.
Posted by ronricks
Member since Mar 2021
10919 posts
Posted on 12/4/25 at 12:35 pm to
Better question is why do people pay attention to a program who hasn’t won a national championship since 1988 and has demonstrated they don’t belong every single time they play in such games? Notre Dame is a relic of the past. It’s not 1966 or 1977 anymore. They have won nothing in almost 40 years.
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