Notre Dame to the ACC, but not in football? It’s still a big deal
ACC commish John Swofford: The man is earning his money, you'd have to say. (AP photo)
Well, it’s official. The ACC is bigger than the SEC.
OK, only by a margin of one. But you’d have to admit: In college football, Notre Dame is a pretty big one.
OK, so there’s an asterisk, and a pretty big one to boot: Notre Dame is joining the ACC in every conference sport except football. But the Irish have committed to playing five football games every season against ACC opposition, and that can’t help but heighten the profile of a league that, at least in football, could stand some heightening.
And you’ve have to think that Notre Dame agreeing to play five games against the ACC only clears the path for the Irish to commit to playing a full conference slate someday soon. (There are press conferences scheduled for later in the day, so maybe we’ll know more then.) As they say in England, and perhaps in Ireland: In for a penny, in for a pound.
Back in a bit with more. And before you get all a-dither: No, I do NOT think this means the ACC has become a better football league than the SEC. But I do think this is another good step by John Swofford and his crew, and it wasn’t so long ago that we wondered if Swofford’s league had any credibility left.
(Here, as threatened, is the longer take on Notre Dame and the ACC.)
By Mark Bradley
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335 comments Add your comment
Chris
September 12th, 2012
1:22 pm
Saying Notre Dame is irrelevant is totally ignorant. Yes, they’ve failed to win big in the last 20 years. I seem to recall that LSU failed to win big for a VERY long time before Saban. Now look at LSU. This is a great move for the ACC….it’s got ya talkin that’s for sure.
Let Laugh
September 12th, 2012
1:22 pm
The year: 1985
The event: When I gave up on Bo ever doing anything with Michigan.
The game: Michigan vs Illinois
The place: Champaign, IL
The outcome: MI 3, IL 3. MI final ranking #2…idiots.
What a joke Bo was. His Rose bowl record was atrocious.
John Swofford : The Latest Fuzz
September 12th, 2012
1:22 pm
[...] into a false sense of security with that folksy, aw-shucks aura, and then BAM! Next thing …Notre Dame to the ACC, but not in football? It's still a big dealAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Notre Dame joins ACC in all sports but footballSpartanburg Herald [...]
Vulture
September 12th, 2012
1:22 pm
It’s a cut-throat world out there but the ACC emerged with the biggest, best, shiniest gem. And if someday, decades from now, Notre Dame feels like it has to join a conference full time, well, it just announced its engagement on Wednesday. The wedding is pending.
The Irish already are kind-of pregnant.”
GTBob
September 12th, 2012
1:24 pm
LOL @ GTBob. Their NBC ratings have been in the absolute crapper the last few years. Enormous following my arse. You can BS with the best of them GTBob.
dawgfan, I know you live disagreeing with me but I think you are going to have a hard time convincing people that Notre Dame is a minor addition to the ACC with no fan following.
What will Notre Dame football schedule look like in future? – USA TODAY | Global Village News
September 12th, 2012
1:26 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
dawgfan
September 12th, 2012
1:30 pm
“dawgfan, I know you live disagreeing with me but I think you are going to have a hard time convincing people that Notre Dame is a minor addition to the ACC with no fan following.”
I don’t think its going to make the splash that the ACC is hoping for. This blog is already indicative of that. Most view this as a desperate move by a desperate conference. For Notre Dame’s part, they’re looking for someone to mooch off of after NBC gives them the axe in a few years. They’re playing the ACC like a harp.
Thanks.
Speed Racer
September 12th, 2012
1:31 pm
The ACC should feel honored that ND will come down from the mountain of football gods to play the mere mortal teams five times a season….Also South Bend is not on the Atlantic Coast.
Silly Bloggers
September 12th, 2012
1:33 pm
ND has been atrocious the last decade plus, but no one can argue their relevancy in the fanbase. I’m a UGA grad, but can’t truly say that Missouri or A&M were powerhouse pickups football-wise, but they made a lot of sense financially for their fan bases and the often-coined footprint for additional regional coverage.
ND would be a huge coup for any conference IF they were all-in. I just get so aggravated with them. They are allowing their lesser sports to have conference affiliation while remaining an Independent for larger than life football. It is a sweetheart deal for ND, but a backhanded compliement to the ACC now. It is a shame really that the ACC couldn’t get the complete buy-in as it would have been a tremendous pick-up.
GTville
September 12th, 2012
1:39 pm
Curious how this impacts the Orange Bowl. Thought if ND did well they would play the ACC champ, but now I wonder if they will take the ACC’s place in the bowl.
Old Dawg
September 12th, 2012
1:41 pm
That sounds great for the ACC, but they better beware. While the ACC is very capable of competing with ND in all sports, they will never compete with their power. They have their network, and you will be sharing some of it. Texas has it’s network, and the rest of the Big 12 shared some of it. Remember how that turned out? When it comes down to who controls the network money, things can get very sticky. Be careful ACC.
Silly Bloggers
September 12th, 2012
1:42 pm
GTville, I don’t know the details, but I can’t imagine them being eligible for the ACC Championship game. For the next two-years, the ACC has to be placed in a BCS bowl so ND would likely only take the place of an ACC team in the Orange Bowl in the event FSU made it to the MNC game.
Coachurly
September 12th, 2012
1:43 pm
This would have been a big deal……..in ‘88.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 12th, 2012
1:43 pm
Who cares about Notre Dame joining the ACC if they’re not going to be a football member? Then again, if the ACC was truly interested in improving its football profile it would have added West Virginia (and maybe Navy) and NOT Syracuse and Pitt.
Ted
September 12th, 2012
1:51 pm
Certainly, any who watch the conference know the ACC has the worst football officials in the country, the least amount of accountability in that function, and the biggest goldbricker in the world overseeing them. Hopefully, teams playing ND will get neutral officials versus the ACC hacks.
Northern Neighbor
September 12th, 2012
1:51 pm
Indiana is on the Lake Michigan coast. Lake Michigan drains into the St. Lawrence River which flows into the Atlantic. So there is a nice connection. That also means Northwestern would be a good ACC pick-up. That puts a lot of schools into play – Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio St. Penn State.
gt and the acc will never
September 12th, 2012
1:52 pm
catch up to the sec as long as the sec continues to be unscupulous. for that matter all the other conferences will never catch up to the sec either.
and no it is not because the coaches in the sec are so much better. if saban was all that he would have succeeded in the nfl but he was just another average fb coach.
reason being…. he had to follow the same rules as everybody else.
funny how he became the next greatest thing to sliced bread once he went to alabama isnt it? take away the oversigning that the sec does and it falls right back into the pack with the rest of the conferences.
what i do find amazing and actually pretty silly is all the chest thumping that you sec types like to do proclaiming the sec as the best in the land.
that is just like a sprinter getting a 10 yard head start on the rest of the field and winning his race. lmao.
is he the best in the world? no.
is he the fastest man in the world? no.
does he have any real reason to brag? no.
what is really sad is not only does the sec have no real reason to brag but they even sacrifice academics to make this happen.
way to go sec. way to go. the sec is really a laughing stock.
come on
September 12th, 2012
1:53 pm
you dumb uga fans saying teams like fsu are going to leave the acc now must not read. the fee to get out is now 50 million. that will make it almost impossible to leave. i would also like to know why anyone is going to want to leave. acc now has 5 more national games a year and expanded the media market from Maine to Florida and into the Chicago market. hands down the best markets are now covered by the acc.
dawgballs00
September 12th, 2012
1:55 pm
Who cares? Notre Dame has been second rate for 20 years. I’m sure Pitt and Syracuse will be two of the five and that’s no big change. Probably a ploy by ND to soften the schedule a little more. Everybody knows that when ND has a rankable record they are overrated by five to ten spots. I guess people still tune in to laugh at the Irish getting destroyed every time they undeservingly make it into a big time bowl. Other than that, Yawn….
notre damer
September 12th, 2012
1:56 pm
notre dame>>>>>>>> missouri>>>>>> texas am
point acc
lmao.
missouri was so good that a short handed dog team went to their place and put a can of whoop- ass on em.
and here we have all these sec types trolling about notre dame.
UGADawg83
September 12th, 2012
1:58 pm
What does it say about a conference when one of the country’s most mediocre programs over the last 20 years considers it a step down to join that conference to play football? What does it say about the weakness of a conference if they will admit Notre Dame on those terms?
dawgfan
September 12th, 2012
1:59 pm
My vote for biggest crybaby sore loser Techie of the year goes to “gt and acc will never.” Would you like some cheese with your whine clown?
uga 83
September 12th, 2012
2:02 pm
last time i looked the dwags havent won anything of consequence since herschel was still only one personality. unless you count the fulmer cup.
lmao. how classy. >>>>>
Michael Adams, UGA President:
There was urination, there was defecation, there were 70 tons of trash. Buildings like the Law School or the library, we’ve had to close because when we left them open the destruction was too significant.
Augusta Chronicle – (UGA) has to close the library on game days because … “people were peeing in the stacks, vomiting in the stairwell and getting into fights in the lobby that the people who worked (there) got fed up with all the abuse.
next!
come on
September 12th, 2012
2:04 pm
for this doing nothing for the acc, espn has nothing but notre dame to the acc coverage on. i think the acc accomplished what it wanted. it does not matter what notre dame does in football they have one of the largest fan bases that are loyal. this will only make money for the acc by expanding the brand exposure and it gives notre dame what they wanted stability.
to dwagfan
September 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
a cheat is a cheat is a cheat is a cheat.
may be time to just kick the sec out of the ncaa and let them play each other. that way you can have an sec champion and beat your chest or whatever else you enjoy ‘beating’ to your hearts content.
just dont take a dump on OUR lawn on your way out!
Notre Dame’s ACC move brings stability to college athletics – USA TODAY | Sports News
September 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Reality
September 12th, 2012
2:06 pm
While I am happy for the ACC, I am also upset….
Why should the ACC accept ND without football? That really does not make sense to me. I would hope that there is some type of time-table in place regarding their football – either they fully join the ACC or they are out!!!
Tide Pride
September 12th, 2012
2:06 pm
WEAK WEAK WEAK!
This is schedule management to better have a BCS playoff appearance.
Follow me here:
Notre Dame will keep as permanent opponent:
2 from Pac 12: USC & Stanford
2 from B1G: Purdue – rotate Michigan State / Michigan
2 from Sevice Academies: Navy – rotate Army / AirForce
1 – breather team: (Western Michigan, Tulsa, FAU, Akron, etc)
5 from ACC:
– 2 permanents: Boston College & Pitt
– 3 rotation sets:
a. Miami/Syracuse/Maryland
b. Wake / VA/ VATech
c. Duke / NC / NC State
Note: GT/Clemson/ FSU have big time OOC games with instate rivals – they will not be in a rotation and will not play ND.
to dwagfan
September 12th, 2012
2:07 pm
i definitely hit a nerve with you didnt i? even if you dwags win something this year it will still be of no consequence. lmao.
RDW
September 12th, 2012
2:07 pm
I guess the ACC has become the Irish Conference. Nothing like admitting a member under their own terms. I don’t get it. What’s the point?
to tidefan
September 12th, 2012
2:08 pm
shouldnt you be pounding your chests instead of trolling? we be da best cheats. we be da best cheats.
roll cheating tide. roll.
Reality
September 12th, 2012
2:10 pm
@UGA fans here….
You struggled to beat Missouri – a team in that “nothing” conference you made fun of for so many years.
Why are you guys so arrogant? Try winning your conference before spouting your crap, okay?
Let's Go
September 12th, 2012
2:11 pm
dawgfan @ 1:30 pm
I don’t think its going to make the splash that the ACC is hoping for. This blog is already indicative of that.
Most view this as a desperate move by a desperate conference.
You really need to get out more if you think this unbias blog is indicative of anything relevant in the world of sports. A bunch of homers howling about UGA and the SEC is not very scientific.
If Notre Dame would have included football every conference, including the SEC, would have sold their mothers to get them so the fact that the ACC let’s them in now in huge. It may be 5 or 10 years down the road but ND will come all in. Year in and year out Notre Dame plays one of the toughest schedules in college football (8th this year) and have a national TV contract so they are still a big time program even if you can’t see it. One other thing, With Pitt and Syracuse and now Notre Dame joining the ACC they are hands down the number one basketball conference.
Notre Dame’s ACC move brings stability to college athletics – USA TODAY | Global Sports Insiders
September 12th, 2012
2:11 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
RxDawg
September 12th, 2012
2:12 pm
Hmmm, interesting. If I’m a Notre Dame fan, I’m concerned about losing a lot of old rivalries. But I’m not a Notre Name fan, so whatever.
dawgballs00
September 12th, 2012
2:16 pm
@ RX What will they really lose? They already play BC, Pitt and Syracuse on a regular basis. They are really only agreeing to add two more ACC games than they already play. Just a polite jesture of thanks to the ACC for letting ND dump all its other sports on them.
2013 schedule released, featuring Astros in AL and full interleague – SI.com
September 12th, 2012
2:17 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Rick James
September 12th, 2012
2:17 pm
The ACC is so desperate to compete with the SEC that they make Notre Dame an “honorary” member just because of the school’s undeniable brand.Then they increase the exit fee to 50 million dollars to force Florida State and Clemson to stay.All of this and they’re still just a notch above the Big East as a football conference.~Yawn~
Big Crimson 75
September 12th, 2012
2:18 pm
Kerryb — hold your horses on the SEC East being better than the West.
Bama & LSU still run the mighty SEC.
Bob — ratings??!! Did you say ratings??
Who the hell cares about watching a slow ND team play a no talent NC State or Wake Team?
Answer — no one! Not even you.
Fact is this deal helps ND & ND only!!
The ACC got screwed in this deal.
You’re a member of the conference 60% of the time?
GTBob
September 12th, 2012
2:20 pm
This is schedule management to better have a BCS playoff appearance.
You are really accusing Notre Dame of trying to play a lite schedule for playoff reasons? They are one of the few teams in college football who doesn’t play 2-3 cupcake games every year. They probably have the toughest schedule in the country this year.
come on
September 12th, 2012
2:20 pm
you can think of it this way the acc signed the top free agent on the market. big 10 has had the chance forever and were not able to make the right offer. the acc hit 14 last year and were not ready to hit 16. notre dame sees the writing on the wall. they know sooner or later they are going to have to join a conference for football. they don’t have to right now and the acc is not ready to add more teams into football it is the perfect match both said we are going to make it happen when the time comes. neither needed to make the move yet but put the process in motion.
GTBob
September 12th, 2012
2:22 pm
Bob — ratings??!! Did you say ratings??
Who the hell cares about watching a slow ND team play a no talent NC State or Wake Team?
The millions of Notre Dame fans out there. Im not sure if you knew this or not but they are a pretty popular school.
shankit
September 12th, 2012
2:23 pm
I am a little confused.
Notre Dame to ACC except in football?
Not exactly, they are keeping their hockey in the Big East, as ACC only has
one member with hockey.
Keep their lucrative contract with NBC and does not have to share with ACC.
Agree to play 5 ACC teams. They are already playing 4 this year, Pittsburgh,
Miami, Syracuse and BC. Guess they will have to add Duke next year.
Will not participate in ACC playoff, but will eligible for Bowl eligibility under ACC.
Will not have to play Big East in basketball anymore, where they can’t compete.
If I were ACC, I would tell ND to stuff it.
GTBob
September 12th, 2012
2:25 pm
The ACC is so desperate to compete with the SEC that they make Notre Dame an “honorary” member just because of the school’s undeniable brand.
This deal had nothing to do with the SEC. Quit thinking the world revolves around you.
dawgballs00
September 12th, 2012
2:26 pm
ND is already playing 4 ACC teams. So maybe they dump BYU for Duke next year and this is news?
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
September 12th, 2012
2:26 pm
Notre Dame=Big Hat and No Cattle
Stinger 2
September 12th, 2012
2:26 pm
Clusters: Now that you have revealed that you are a Clemson alum
or attended that school, we all understand why you use the ” we Clusters”
and other grammatical language in your posts. Its understandable. Go Braves, Chipper and Fredi!
Ebenezer Snerdberg
September 12th, 2012
2:26 pm
THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!
Big Crimson 75
September 12th, 2012
2:27 pm
ND plays the toughest this year, which is a far cry from their schedule during the Weiss years.
I’ll give Brian Kelly credit for their schedule this year.
Their still going to lose 4 or 5 games.
This Generation knows nothing of the great Knute Rockne or Paul Hornung winning the Heisman instead of Jim Brown — one of the great injustices of college football history!!
They only know ND as the Team USC practices against once a year!
Terrible Truth
September 12th, 2012
2:29 pm
Sounds like a desperate move by a desperate conference. If Swofford had any stones, he would have told the Drunken Irish “all or nothin’.” Do you see Mike Slive making that kind of deal? If ND receives one penny of revenue derived from football (besides actual gate receipts) then John Swofford and the conference he presides over are complete and total idiots.