ND as an independent and re-alignment

[Left Seater]

So ND has reportedly turned down another Big 10 offer and as such NU will take their place in a newly expanded Big 10. Rumor has it that the Big 10 wants to make it harder for conf members to schedule ND, although Mich has said they will continue to schedule ND as discussed, but not executed via contract.

Just say that Mich St and Purdue cut their ND games in half after the Big 10 expansion, where does that leave ND?

I would assume that USC, Stanford, Navy, BC, and Pitt aren't going anywhere on the schedule. If USC is down can the others on that schedule along with Army and the Big East rotational schools keep ND in the hunt for a title? Can they schedule such that the strength of schedule is in the top 20?

Sure the NBC money is great, but is ND content with the money instead of playing for titles? If for some reason 10 years from now NBCC decides to bid on another conf's schedule would ND be forced to join a conf? At that point might the Big East be the only acceptable choice?

I also understand that intent is tough to read from a message board, so please take this as an honest series of questions and not trying to start some sort of pile on.

[Screw_Michigan]

I'm sure Killian will be by any time now after reading ND Nation and trying to pass it off as "inside info." But you can believe him, because he's Irish, and Notre Dame is the "Fighting Irish." And all.

[King Crimson]

if i'm Iowa State or K State's AD I'm calling ND right now. heck ya, we'll play ya in late October or November....after losing UT/OU as big home draws...need some profile games.

could be "win-win" for both sides since the Irish may be looking for opponents late in the conference seasons if the Big 10 clamps down.

[Killian]

How do my feet taste, Fredo? I don't go to NDNation for football, dumbfuck.

Lefty, I don't see Purdue or MSU calling that game off unless specifically dictated by the Big 10. One is an instate rival, and the other is in the Big 10 in large part because of ND. I don't see how the Big 10 could govern teams and their OOC.

But if they did, I don't think it would cause night sweats in the ND AD department. They have a 3 game series with "Da U"all but finalized, and are in talks with Alabama, OU and possibly Texas for future series.

It comes down to the same bottom line: ND wins, they have nothing to worry about.

Fredo_Michigan, feel free to add anything of substance to this thread. You can't, so you'll either resort to some tired, unfunny name calling or you'll just turn tail like you normally do. Just admit that you're not smart enough to carry on this type of conversation.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

So ND has reportedly turned down another Big 10 offer

link?

[Killian]

You'll find that link on Jimmy Hoffa's iPad. There is no way in hell there will be a public turndown by ND again.

Oh, and to answer the other question, if they don't go the Big 10 route I can see rhe ACC.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

That's what I thought.

[Terry in Crapchester]

First, let's start with the obvious. Navy isn't going anywhere. Neither is Pitt, as long as they don't get an offer from the Big 10, anyway. As for BC, ND originally ended the series, then renegotiated an extension, albeit in a more limited fashion than previously -- BC will play ND 6 times in 10 years beginning in 2011.

As for USC, the only possible way I see them ending the series wIth ND is if they have to play both Texas and Oklahoma every year. As I understand it, they'll play one of those teams every other year the way the schedule looks to be set up.

Stanford doesn't have the long-term rivalry with ND that USC does, but the Stanford administration, unlike the fanbase, seems to like this series. I think they'll work to keep it in place as well.

Now, to the Integer opponents.

Michigan apparently wants its conference rivals, Purdue and Michigan State, to end their series with ND, but, not surprisingly, they take a different view with repect to their own series with ND. When it's all said and done, I agree with Killian. I don't see either of those schools ending their serise with ND unless ordered to do so by the conference. And even if that happens, ND has other scheduling options available to them. I'd also note that there are rumors that the leftovers from the Big XII -- Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri -- may be headed to the Big East. If that happens, that will only be good news for ND with respect to independence, in that it will strengthen the Big East, and ND has something of a partnership with the Big East that allows it to remain independent in football. It also gives ND more potential late-season opponents.

As far as TV deals go, Killian nailed it. If ND gets back to form, there will always be a TV option available to them even if a deal with NBC doesn't work out. Other than that, the only other factor I can see forcing ND into a conference would be the sort of "seismic" realignment that Swarbrick alluded to. It doesn't appear that this particular go-round will be that. And in that regard, if the proposed Pac-16 gets off the ground, I think the other conferences will be watching it very closely, in that it will provide a real-life case study to determine whether the so-called "superconference" model is workable. And in that case, I think that the ACC, the Big East and the Big Ten all will be available options for ND.

[Terry in Crapchester]

Anyone interested in ND's athletic future might find the latest entry (as of today, anyway) here to be an interesting read.

[MuchoBulls]

I read that over the weekend and it makes plenty of sense, especially since Rutgers' named has fallen off the radar a bit as far as Big Ten expansion has been concerned.