Okay, so news broke today that Notre Dame was joining the ACC in 2015. Reading that news alone would render one of two reactions: 1) They were already in the Big East, and 2) It's about damn time.
There's one problem, everyone else but their football program are joining a conference. Football will remain Independent, a.k.a the Ralph Nader of college football. Let's be honest, this isn't exactly the glory days of the golden domers anymore. I get it and then I don't.
Notre Dame football has elected to keep their scheduled not tied to mandatory conference games, which if done right, can build a program to a national power, like the glory days. However, part of the agreement to keep Notre Dame pigskin out of the ACC is that they play 5 games annually against ACC opponents. So in order to not play 8 or 9 conference games in football, you will set aside 5 of your 12 games on your schedule for ACC games. Doesn't make much sense does it? The Irish played Purdue, Michigan St, and Michigan, USC, and Stanford annually. Will this new agreement change that? I could see one of the Big Ten games being axed. You're looking at 10 games on a schedule that could be considered insanity. The one positive is that if they can pull of 10 wins, they go to a BCS game. I'm sure NBC is happy about the fact they're still independent because Notre Dame would be tied to a TV contract with ESPN. Which might explain this whole keeping football independent debate.
I always thought that Notre Dame would be a perfect fit for the Big Ten, and not because their play is slow and horrible. It just made sense from a rivalry and geographical standpoint. There's nothing Atlantic or Coastal about this. Now going 12-0 on a schedule with 5 of the earlier mentioned teams and 5 ACC teams would leave no argument for a BCS Title game berth. However, would you be shocked if all of those 10 teams would be on the same schedule every year? I will give Notre Dame credit, I haven't seen an FCS prostitute school on their schedule ever, which is a very sore spot with me when it comes to the FCS teams. You could keep the earlier mentioned 5 and then play Maryland, Duke, Wake Forest, Florida St/Clemson, and Boston College (annual opponent).
There's no question the ACC is not as strong compared to the SEC or Big XII, which really should see this as a basketball move. With Pitt and Syracuse moving to ACC soon, the strongest basketball conference just got a whole lot stronger.
As I can understand the move and not understand it at the same time, Notre Dame will continue to get the ridicule of not being in a conference until they can run the table against a schedule as I mentioned earlier. The only way to shut up the naysayers is to join a conference or just beat the brains out of your opponents on an insane schedule. Erin Go Bragh!
