It's a reasonable compromise as well as a potential penultimate move towards full conference membership. Or not. But I don't see it as REAL INDEPENDENCE -- because there's an obvious DEPENDENCY FACTOR. Which is that ND needs comparable TV money; other schools' willingness to allow it to retain CFP eligibility; and a home for its other sports.
Yes, it's a mirror of the ACC deal, but I've never considered that arrangement LEGITIMATE PROOF of ND's continued FOOTBALL INDEPENDENCE. The ND/ACC deal is basically a LAWYER'S TRICK. It's TITULAR INDEPENDENCE with the whole thing hinging on the ACC's allowing ND certain prerogatives in return for playing a required number of games against members of its conference.
That's not FULLY INDEPENDENT. That's HALF PREGNANT.
Which leads back to the basic question of WHY MUST THIS CONCEIT BE PERPETUATED? Especially when much simpler solutions are available and almost ACHING to be implemented.
I also have difficulty seeing it as a LONG-TERM SOLUTION. Who can speak for the Big Ten, but if it were me, I'd only agree to such an arrangement for 5 years then require full conference membership. If ND chose not to comply, it could THEN OPT OUT.
In no other sport is the kind of EXCEPTION ND is looking for granted. In a way, it's an OUTRAGEOUS REQUEST in light of ND's need for conference membership in other sports. If I were the rest of CFB, I'd play hardball with ND. Say to it basically, PUT UP or SHUT UP. You need us more than we need you.
Contrary to what many on ND boards may think, CFB would not fold up and die if ND exited the scene.
But, again, to answer your question, if ND wishes to do this and the Big Ten is willing -- and some sort of equitable playoff eligibility scenario for ND can be concocted -- then this would probably be the best solution out there.
But such an arrangement might come as quite a shock to a lot of ND fans as in any given year, UM, MSU, OSU, PSU and USC have the firepower to beat ND. And it could even happen in the SAME YEAR! Even as Iowa, Purdue, Minnesota or Wisconsin in the right year could do likewise.
I can't see how playing Big Ten teams regularly wouldn't result in MORE LOSSES. Even in good years, ND has ALWAYS LOST TO BIG TEN TEAMS. And in some years, more than one. Plus, in the 50's and early 60's when ND lost regularly to Big 10 teams. I can't remember any one season where it played more than four in all. Never five.
And now, with NIL and the portal, even a semi-Big Ten schedule could be TREACHEROUS.