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ND joins a conference, what’s the worst thing that would happen??

That was everyone in the 80s and 90s, Independents and Conference members alike got put on the outside with 1 loss because voters usually loved undefeated teams.


Likewise every first tier team, or even tier 1B, gets a mulligan on the first loss in the playoff era. It applied to ND in 2020 as much as it applied to Bama and Clemson.

The SEC has the most territory where people actually care about college football.


It is a great argument. Penn State lost their power. They opened up their territory to recruiting from Michigan and Ohio State so Pennsylvannia kids could play for the dominant power in the conference. There was no reciprocal benefit as Ohio kids were not interested in moving away to join the 3rd best program if they were offered at home by the 1st.

Miami and FSU joined basketball conferences that had no football power so it was no surprise they initially ran roughshod over the basketball schools on the grid iron. But note Miami has been irrelevant once they joined the football configured ACC.
PSU, Michigan and OSU always battled for recruits. Joining a conference did not hurt PSU recruiting.

Are you saying if ND joined a conference it would hurt recruiting???? That’s ridiculous.

Again, is Alabama an independent or are they art of a conference?

Is Georgia independent or part of a conference?

These Conferance schools have no problem recruiting.

Being an independent does NOT strengthen ND recruiting.
 
That was everyone in the 80s and 90s, Independents and Conference members alike got put on the outside with 1 loss because voters usually loved undefeated teams.


Likewise every first tier team, or even tier 1B, gets a mulligan on the first loss in the playoff era. It applied to ND in 2020 as much as it applied to Bama and Clemson.

The SEC has the most territory where people actually care about college football.


It is a great argument. Penn State lost their power. They opened up their territory to recruiting from Michigan and Ohio State so Pennsylvannia kids could play for the dominant power in the conference. There was no reciprocal benefit as Ohio kids were not interested in moving away to join the 3rd best program if they were offered at home by the 1st.

Miami and FSU joined basketball conferences that had no football power so it was no surprise they initially ran roughshod over the basketball schools on the grid iron. But note Miami has been irrelevant once they joined the football configured ACC.

TV networks base their contracts on viewership not land mass.. Just an FYI

TV contracts dictate how much each school gets. How much each school gets has a lot to do with the overall health & sustainability of the program.. another FYI
 
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I am always surprised by the number of fans everywhere that ND's small student base and the subway alumni system generate. No other school has such a broad reach and base of support. Some of that will certainly be lost if ND joins a conference in football. In short the ND recognition feels good and I would hate to see that go away.
 
The Big 10 fan base as a whole despises Notre Dame.
Does not seem like you like visitors but I will say I don't think that is true at all. ND is highly respected. Fans are fans, everyone has DB's. I don't blame you guys one bit for wanting to say Independent but I do think in the future it will be harder and harder. If the day comes ND joins the BIG, you guys would be welcomed with open arms. Old traditions would remain and grow, new ones may emerge.
 
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