Should Notre Dame join the Big Ten since the conference consists of weak teams?

Question

They'd fit right in.

Answer 1

In order to make it in the Big Ten, you have to at least beat Northwestern, which Notre Dame hasn't done and couldn't do this year.

Answer 2

Yes, absolutely!

As a lifelong Big Ten supporter, adding Notre Dame is the natural answer to the conferences' need to expand to 12 teams. Independents have all joined conferences over the past 20 years, and Notre Dame is losing its bargaining chip. If it joins the BIg Ten, the school wins with high quality new rivalries for football (Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa), basketball and hockey. The conference can go to a chamionship game between two divisions in early December and conquer the BCS. Win-Win for all. Time for Notre Dame to step upto the plate and join the Big Ten Conference

Answer 3

They are going to have to. For whatever reason, conference membership can help to increase recruiting. A long time ago, Miami, Notre Dame, BC, and the like were able to succeed as independents. However, those days are gone. Notre Dame has a difficult time attracting blue chip recruits because A) Their geopraphic location and the young person's detachment from ND's rich history (how can they possibly compete with Florida or USC), B) They do not belong to a big time conference like the BIG-10, SEC, and Big-12 and C) they're academic standards are higher than any other National Powerhouse. Joining a conference would help with one of these three reasons.

Answer 4

Yeah, they should just stop doing things the way they have for years. Come on get real.

There's been talk that the team should join the Big 10 for years.
It's just not going to happen. At least in my lifetime.

Should any independent having a bad year just say hey let's join a weak conference? I hardly think that the BIG Ten is weak by any means.

I'm afraid that it's not that easy.

Usually it's teams trying to upgrade their programs by joining a conference.

Notre Dame is having a down year. That's it plain and simple.
They need to recruit speed players to keep up with other speed teams.

BTW, I'm not a ND fan.

Answer 5

Very funny.
Last week before Penn State took a nose dive, there were three Big Ten schools in the top 10 - more than any other conference. Everyone has bad days and bad years - you have to regroup sometime.
Just b/c the other conferences have shown in the past couple years that they have more than one good team does not mean that the Big Ten is weak.
Each conference has their strong teams, medicore teams and not-so-good teams.

Answer 6

PAC 10 would be a better fit, if they're looking for a weakass schedule. Realistically though the Big Ten fits their region, but their Basketball teams compete in the Big East, which means if the Irish went to the Big 10 they'd have to move out of the second best b-ball conference in the country which is unlikely if their football program continues to nose dive. Its going to be interesting how they react when they lose their TV contract.

Answer 7

Yes, and then there would be 12 teams, and they would have to play a conference championship game, and not get a free pass into bowl games like the Pac-10. Plus that would be one more step towards a playoff system.

Answer 8

Notre Dame should join the military academies,since they play many of their games against them

Answer 9

Either the Big Ten or the equally (or maybe even more so) inept Pac Ten. Now there is a sorry a$$ conference.

Answer 10

Actuall, Notre Dame is a little on the weak side for the Big 10, and that is a bold statement. I believe the Sunbelt would welcome Weis's wusses with open arms.