In a previous article, I mentioned that the Big Ten reportedly has an offer on the table for Notre Dame to join the conference. The Fighting Irish have been fiercely independent of any conference for a long time. For them to join a conference, it would likely require an offer they can’t refuse (aka a Godfather offer).
The biggest single criteria a College Football Playoff hopeful needs is a victory in their respective conference championship game. More than once, that has kept the Irish out of the playoff. Notre Dame is currently classified as “FBS-Independent”, as they are not associated with any conference in football. As a side note, other FBS-Independent schools are BYU (joining the Big 12), Army, Liberty, New Mexico State (both Conference USA bound), Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Notre Dame’s Godfather Offer
USC and UCLA will be joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024. This presents the opportunity for renewed rivalries with USC and Michigan, two of Notre Dame’s most storied rivals. The Big Ten is always in contention for the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame could provide a legitimate threat to the perennial contenders.
In addition to that, Notre Dame squaring off with USC (now under Lincoln Riley) during rivalry week can create more amazing history for the Big Ten. Giving the Fighting Irish the opportunity to duel with the Buckeyes and Wolverines for supremacy in the conference will only boost the competitiveness of the entire conference.
Notre Dame is frequently ranked in the top five in the country. Now that Marcus Freeman is at the helm, I don’t see that changing any time soon. The energy he created in that locker room to wrap up the 2021 season was awe-inspiring. The prestige that Notre Dame carries with it would boost the Big Ten’s standing to elite status in NCAA conferences.
How Does a Big Ten + Fighting Irish Look?
Let us fast forward to the 2024 season. USC and UCLA are officially members of the conference, and Notre Dame has joined in this hypothetical realignment. Consequently, this is what I believe the conference would look like.
Big Ten East Division
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Penn State
- Maryland
- Rutgers
- Indiana
- Purdue
Big Ten West Division
- USC
- UCLA
- Iowa
- Notre Dame
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Nebraska
- Northwestern
- Minnesota
Aligning the league this way, in theory, restores competitive balance to the conference, therefore bringing an end to the top-heaviness of the conference. Talent-wise, the East division has been far superior to the West for a long time.
Whatever happens, I look forward to the fresh competition. The Fighting Irish have the perfect opportunity to prove they’re more than a “first team out” program. In the event they take that opportunity, I will welcome them with open arms to the conference.
1 Comment
“The biggest single criteria a College Football Playoff hopeful needs is a victory in their respective conference championship game. ”
Notre Dame was put in the 2020 CFP despite losing the ACC championship game to Clemson, and Georgia went to the 2021 CFP and won the national championship despite losing in the SECCG to Alabama. Winning a conference championship game is no longer a criteria to make the CFP. If Notre Dame goes undefeated, they’re in, whether they play in a conference or not.
“Now that Marcus Freeman is at the helm, I don’t see that changing any time soon. The energy he created in that locker room to wrap up the 2021 season was awe-inspiring. ”
He’s 0-1 as a head coach after losing the Fiesta Bowl to Oklahoma State, and is looking at 0-2 with the opener against Ohio State. Maybe slow down on anointing Freeman the next big thing?
Your realignment of the conference has 8 teams in the East and 9 in the West, which is unbalanced. Who does the B1G take to balance out the East?