I know it's Dennis Dodd, but this echoes what a lot of coaches were saying during media days. ND joining a conference would constitute a 'geography change'
Notre Dame has lost independent luster, should join conference soon
In case you haven't noticed, it's a new age when conference membership matters more and Notre Dame matters less.
Potentially malleable sportswriters buying into the Notre Dame mystique with their votes are a thing of the past. The human polls are essentially meaningless.
The only minds that need to be influenced are the 13 folks on that CFP Selection Committee. They would have to consider that only six teams in Irish history have won at least 11 games. None finished ranked lower than fourth. Irish teams in 1973, 1977 and 1988 won national championships. In 1989 and 1993, Notre Dame finished No. 2. They were undefeated in 2012 before a BCS title game loss.
They'd also have to consider the walls closing in from all angles.
Speaking about Notre Dame with CBS Sports, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel related the following. “If you're all going to be competing to be in the top four, it would be good if everybody was in leagues with championship games. That's common sense to me.”
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Notre Dame enters the second year of an ACC regular-scheduling deal in which it had access to the conference's roster of bowls. Tradition, sometimes, be damned. For the first time since 1932, the Irish won't play at least two Big Ten teams.
That agreement includes a sliver of an opportunity to play the ACC champion in the Orange Bowl a maximum of twice in 12 years -- only when there is no other Big Ten or SEC team ranked higher than the Irish.
Forget 11-1 and a playoff berth for a moment. Simple math tells you the Irish will be questionable this season for a New Year's Six bowl at 10-2. There's the possibility of there being only two available spots in 2015 -- one each in the Peach and Fiesta Bowls.
The other 10 spots would be taken up the four playoff teams as well as representatives from the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC and the automatic Group of Five team.
It's entirely possible that Boise State gets a guaranteed spot at 10-2. With the same record, Notre Dame could be left wishing.
That scenario alone is why the Irish will finally join a conference sooner rather than later. Don't ask me how that lucrative NBC contract would be folded in. That's fine print.
If Notre Dame made the all-in call to ACC commissioner John Swofford tomorrow, the details would be worked out pronto. As it stands, being half pregnant in the ACC isn't enough. Being left out is too much.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...ndependent-luster-should-join-conference-soon
Notre Dame has lost independent luster, should join conference soon
In case you haven't noticed, it's a new age when conference membership matters more and Notre Dame matters less.
Potentially malleable sportswriters buying into the Notre Dame mystique with their votes are a thing of the past. The human polls are essentially meaningless.
The only minds that need to be influenced are the 13 folks on that CFP Selection Committee. They would have to consider that only six teams in Irish history have won at least 11 games. None finished ranked lower than fourth. Irish teams in 1973, 1977 and 1988 won national championships. In 1989 and 1993, Notre Dame finished No. 2. They were undefeated in 2012 before a BCS title game loss.
They'd also have to consider the walls closing in from all angles.
Speaking about Notre Dame with CBS Sports, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel related the following. “If you're all going to be competing to be in the top four, it would be good if everybody was in leagues with championship games. That's common sense to me.”
*********************************************
Notre Dame enters the second year of an ACC regular-scheduling deal in which it had access to the conference's roster of bowls. Tradition, sometimes, be damned. For the first time since 1932, the Irish won't play at least two Big Ten teams.
That agreement includes a sliver of an opportunity to play the ACC champion in the Orange Bowl a maximum of twice in 12 years -- only when there is no other Big Ten or SEC team ranked higher than the Irish.
Forget 11-1 and a playoff berth for a moment. Simple math tells you the Irish will be questionable this season for a New Year's Six bowl at 10-2. There's the possibility of there being only two available spots in 2015 -- one each in the Peach and Fiesta Bowls.
The other 10 spots would be taken up the four playoff teams as well as representatives from the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC and the automatic Group of Five team.
It's entirely possible that Boise State gets a guaranteed spot at 10-2. With the same record, Notre Dame could be left wishing.
That scenario alone is why the Irish will finally join a conference sooner rather than later. Don't ask me how that lucrative NBC contract would be folded in. That's fine print.
If Notre Dame made the all-in call to ACC commissioner John Swofford tomorrow, the details would be worked out pronto. As it stands, being half pregnant in the ACC isn't enough. Being left out is too much.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...ndependent-luster-should-join-conference-soon
