Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire couldn’t resist taking an unprovoked and likely premeditated jab at Notre Dame’s independence this week. In doing so, he revealed just how narrow his perspective of the football world is and how little he actually understands about Notre Dame’s historic stance on independence and it’s yearly strength of schedule.
Following the Red Raiders’ win over BYU, McGuire praised the Cougars for joining the Big 12 before tossing a not so thinly veiled shot at the Irish:
“I have so much respect for BYU. … I was really excited whenever they joined the Big 12 because I think that they carry a lot of weight and a lot of respect. I think that I have a lot of respect for them entering a conference and not playing an independent schedule like other people—y’all already know who that is. I mean, they’re earning their right just like everybody, but a couple of people in the nation are earning their right through conference play and playing in some really tough places.”
— Joey McGuire
He didn’t need to say the name. Everyone knew exactly who he meant.
McGuire’s comment wasn’t just tone-deaf — it was a classic case of a coach who’s never left the state of Texas mistaking his own backyard for the center of the football universe. It’s one thing to puff out your chest after beating BYU; it’s another to take aim at one of the sport’s most storied programs without understanding what you’re actually criticizing.
Notre Dame’s Independence Is Earned, Not Avoided
Notre Dame’s independent status isn’t a shortcut. It’s a challenge the program chooses — one that demands constant performance and accountability. Year after year, the Irish assemble a schedule that stretches from coast to coast and crosses conference boundaries. Unlike the vast majority of programs that spend September playing cupcakes and scheduling FCS opponents in late November, Notre Dame traditionally plays in some of the biggest games every September, right out of the gates.
In 2025 alone, Notre Dame’s slate has included matchups with Texas A&M, Miami, USC, and Pittsburgh — all Power Four opponents that are currently ranked. That’s not an “easier path.” It’s a gauntlet. By comparison, Texas Tech’s grueling Big 12 schedule currently features just two ranked opponents on it.
The Irish also announced a future home-and-home with Auburn beginning in 2027, marking the first-ever meeting between the two blue-blood programs. Auburn joins the likes of Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, and Clemson as powerhouse programs Notre Dame has added to future schedules in addition to the rotating ACC schedule and the hopeful renewal of the USC rivalry. That’s not the move of a school ducking competition; it’s the mark of one that embraces it.
Independence gives Notre Dame freedom, but it also removes excuses. There’s no guaranteed conference title to prop up the résumé. Every season must stand on its own merit. That’s accountability at the highest level — something conference coaches like McGuire should understand before running their mouths.
Coaches like McGuire show how little the understand about the history of the game when they run their mouths about Notre Dame’s independence. Before Notre Dame was NOTRE DAME, the university depsarately wanted to be in what was then the Big Ten only to essentially be denied by Michigan and Fielding Yost. By the time the Big Ten wanted Notre Dame to join, the program had already become a powerhouse on its own and has since chosen to remain independent.
James Franklin Tried the Same Thing — Then Lost
McGuire isn’t the first coach to take aim at Notre Dame’s independence. Ahead of last year’s Orange Bowl, Penn State’s James Franklin made his own not-so-subtle swipe at the Irish when discussing playoff fairness:
“I think everybody should be in a conference. I think everybody should play a conference championship game, or nobody should play a conference championship game. I think everybody should play the same number of conference games.”
— James Franklin
Notre Dame’s response came on the field. The Irish beat Franklin’s Nittany Lions 27–24 in the Orange Bowl, advancing to the playoff semifinal and proving, yet again, that they don’t need a conference logo on their jerseys to validate their success.
The Broader Point: Critics Miss What Independence Represents
The obsession with conference membership is rooted in a small-minded view of college football. Independence isn’t about avoiding structure — it’s about maintaining one’s own.
Notre Dame’s model is built on:
- National scheduling across all regions and major conferences.
- Consistent matchups with elite programs — far more than most Power Four teams face outside their leagues.
- Cultural and institutional independence that keeps the program’s tradition, visibility, and brand intact.
Being independent means Notre Dame answers to itself. No conference commissioner, no revenue-sharing politics, no regional echo chamber. And despite all that, they’re still one of the sport’s biggest TV draws, recruiting powers, and playoff contenders. Notre Dame also has less opportunity to reach the college football playoffs than a team that needs a conference as a crutch to maintain relevance. A program can sneak into a conference championship game with a record that would have Notre Dame eliminated from post season contention and earn a cheap spot in the playoffs by winning a conference championship game.
Bottom Line
McGuire’s comments were cheap, uninformed, and reek of small-program insecurity. Notre Dame doesn’t need validation from the Big 12, the SEC, or anyone else. The Irish have built a national legacy by doing things their way — not the easy way. That way also led the Irish to a berth in last year’s national championship, where they beat two Big Ten teams and SEC champion Georgia along the way.
So while coaches like Joey McGuire stay busy talking about the Irish, Notre Dame will stay busy doing what it always has: playing anyone, anywhere — and proving, once again, that independence isn’t a weakness. It’s a standard.
