Do you think Notre Dame should be forced to join a conference?

Question

I don't think independent teams should be eligible for the BCS. They have an unfair advantage because there schedule can be as hard, or as easy as the want it to be.

Answer 1

I agree - it is pretty bogus that they are automatically BCS Bowl eligible just because the are Notre Dame.

But then again, just about everything about the BCS is rather bogus.

I would like to see an 16 team playoff in December when there aren't any games anyway - a few lesser bowl games that few people care about, and otherwise the teams are idle. This makes a total of 15 games, and a maximum of 4 games if a team does well. Let each one be a bowl game if you have to, with the last one in January being a championship game.

Answer 2

No, I don't think UND should be forced to join a conference for football. Most teams are in a conference because it's in their best interests, but UND's unique because of their prestige and widespread interest to where they can get away without being in a conference. And the bottom line for them is they make a lot more money now then they ever could joining the Big Ten, Big East, or anyone else, thanks in part to their contract and their not having to split BCS money.

I don't think their independance is an unfair advantage (anyone else could split from their conference but in most cases it's not to their advantage to do so). UND does schedule some dogs but they do have some prominent games every year too, and if they just scheduled 12 cupcakes then the voters would push them far down the BCS standings enough they couldn't get in one of the top bowls anyway.

While they did make the Sugar Bowl last year, there really weren't many other good choices. Keep in mind Wisconsin, Tennessee, Auburn, and Arkansas weren't eligable because conferences can only send 2 teams to the BCS bowls. Between their record and their, um, clout, UND seemed like a logical choice to play LSU.

Answer 3

I disagree. The school should have the right to make any decision they want with regard to conference play. Strength of schedule is a major determinant in the BCS system and the voters in each of the polls are free to give as much consideration as they choose to the schedule strength of a team. If a voter feels that Notre Dame is not a quality team because they haven't played stiff competition than they don't vote them high in the polls.
We don't have to legislate everything when common sense can solve any potential problems. I think Notre Dame would benefit, in a lot of ways, if they joined a conference but it has to be their decision.

Answer 4

I'm the biggest notre dame fan hear and know the most about the team and their independence. Notre has traditions with navy because during WWII notre dame didn't have enough money to keep running the college so navy agreed to give them relief as long as the irish agreed to play them in football every year. USC, Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State and Boston College are rivals of Notre Dame and 4 of 5 are rotated on and off of the irish's schedule this yrear all 5 are on it. Georgia Tech and Penn State are newley accuired teams to the notre dame schedule and will be on their as long as they're around the top 25. but stanford and duke should never play a team of notre dame's caliber the athletic director just wimped out on the remaining games of their schedule. Notre Dame has it's own t.v contracts, t.v station, national magaziene, pappareal lisence, and national magaziene so they won't join a confrence because they enjoy the independent spotlight too much and so do their fans.

Answer 5

No I don't think they should be FORCED to, because then you'd have to force Temple to. Heck why not make the Independents their own little conference. I think they should have to follow a certain standard for their schedule, BUT that is all it should be. Come on look at USC. The Pac-10 is mostly a joke beyond them. So should the Pac-10 be kicked out of the BCS for not being good enough? Should we say well USC shouldn't be allowed in a BCS game until the rest of the conference is good enough? You are making it sound like Notre Dame never plays anyone, they play USC every year. They play Michigan. They play as legitmate of a schedule as most of the BCS Conference Champs. I don't like them but I can be fair about it.

Answer 6

I don't think so. If Notre Dame plays a weak schedule (which they don't), they may not get ranked as highly in the human polls. For sure, the computers will penalize them.

My real problem with Notre Dame is that they get better bowls than they should because of their economic impact to a bowl, not necessarily the caliber of their team. That's why they're in such a slump with bowls (9 straight losses now).

In the SEC, if you have an 8-4 year, you go to a much lesser bowl against a ballpark equal foe. If Notre Dame goes 8-4, they might end up in the Gator Bowl against a better ACC foe.

Answer 7

Who is going to force them certainly not the NCAA. It would be like David vs. Goliath with Notre Dame being the latter and David doesn't stand a chance in this one. Would I like to see them join a conference like the Big-10? Sure but they are not going to take a pay cut. I would also like to see the PAC-10 and Big-10 go to twelve teams with a championship game to level the playing field against other conferences. I believe the Big-10 will pull it off but USC in the PAC-10 will fight a change like that to the death because they love their cushy schedule.

Answer 8

No...That is stupid...Independent teams have tradition...and if you know anything about Notre Dame, their schedule is the hardest in the country...with good rivalries...Most of their opponents know that ND is the biggest game on their schedule...(Michigan, Michigan St., Purdue, Penn State, USC, UCLA, BC, Stanford, etc.)...Air Force and Navy are traditional rivals...Georgia Tech was on the schedule last year, and are this year...Duke just got on this year's schedule...and don't think Duke won't play their guts out and try to upset ND...

Answer 9

Notre Dame plays USC every year, they play Michigan every year, that's 2 games right there that are decently tough.

They shouldn't be forced to join a conference, but I agree they should have to have a certain level of tough schedule to make it into a bowl game, which they usually do.

Answer 10

Yes, at gunpoint to the Big Ten. "Unfair advantage"? Have you looked at their schedule the past ten years? They don't appear to duck anyone. I hate turning on the tv every Saturday and seeing them on, but I certainly don't see them trying for an easy schedule. Deal with their independancy.