Notre Dame Football Could Be Eligible for ACC Championship in 2020
Another day, another turn in the ongoing story of Notre Dame’s 2020 football schedule. Friday we learned of more momentum for the Irish playing a full ACC schedule this fall and possibly being eligible for the ACC Championship in the process.
There’s been smoke around Notre Dame’s schedule getting filled out by ACC opponents ever since Notre Dame lost games to Wisconsin, USC, and Stanford weeks ago. What’s interesting about today’s nugget though, is that the Irish could be eligible for the ACC Championship.
Should this all come fruition, and that requires a season to happen in the first place, there are going to be A LOT of butt hurt “NoTrE dAmE nEeDs To JoIn A cOnFeReNce” fans throughout the country.
Fans of other programs hate that Notre Dame has remained independent and constantly like to yell about it on Twitter. They usually like to talk about how Notre Dame doesn’t share its TV money from the NBC contract while failing to realize that Notre Dame makes less money off the NBC deal than any of the Power 5 programs do off their conference TV deals. Even head coaches like David Cutcliffe, how was briefly employed by Notre Dame, like to spread this fallacy.
Playing a full ACC schedule in 2020 and managing to play for a ACC Championship game would cause a Twitter meltdown that I’ll admit I would have way too much fun trolling.
As @SupermanTDJesus pointed out on Twitter already, Notre Dame could win an ACC title before Miami does.
None of this is official yet, and there is still a large chance that there isn’t even a season in the fall; but it does give make it look more likely that the Irish will be close to a full ACC participant this fall if there is a season.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
Other legendary programs—USC, Alabama, Ohio State and Texas to name a few—play in conferences. It’s time to join the ACC as a full member. Sure, other than Clemson the conference has been down in football for a few years, but UNC is on the rise and Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech will surely be back in the power rankings. So the Irish play 9 ACC games, USC, Navy and an SEC team in a typical year. Not bad.
Let the “melt down” begin! As a ND fan for 60+ years I just don’t get the romance attendant to the Irish remaining an independent in football. Sure, there is some status in being able to “go it alone,” but when it begins to get in the way of winning National Championships, it’s time to adapt to conventional wisdom.
I think before we can think about a ACC title we ought to concentrate on besting Clemson 1st!!! It’s been their championship for quite awhile now. Horse ? before the cart Gentlemen!!!!