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Many were hopeful that USC and Notre Dame would be able to reach a mutually agreeable solution to continue their storied rivalry prior to the 2026 season. Unfortunately, talks have broken down, with a disagreement on when the game was to be played at the forefront of the conversation. Now, the Irish have added BYU, a formidable BIG 12 title contender, in place of the Trojans. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics There had been plenty of rumblings surrounding this rivalry game and its potential to end following the Trojans' move to the BIG 10 in 2024. Lincoln Riley had often maligned the gruelling travel regime for a West Coast team playing Midwest opponents throughout the course of the season. And although nothing had been scheduled beyond this season's installment, fans on both sides were hopeful that eventually an agreement could be reached that would keep one of the best rivalries in college football around for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, the sad reality came to a head earlier today. Ultimately, neither side was able to reach an agreement on when to play the game in 2026. USC wanted to push the game to the start of the year, citing the CFP committee's tendency to punish losses that occur later in the season. Notre Dame wanted to keep the game scheduled on the basis that it already had been. This rift in scheduling ideology is reportedly what has led to the series not being continued. The silver lining, however, is that both administrations are working toward a possible resurgence in 2030. USC and Notre Dame have played every season since 1926, except during World War II and the covid season of 2020. Notre Dame won the latest installment 34-24 in South Bend this season, and the Jewelled Shillelagh will remain in their possession. As it stands, Notre Dame leads the all-time rivalry 51-37-5. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! In place of USC, Notre Dame has added BYU to the schedule in 2026 and 2027. The Cougars are coming off of one of their most memorable seasons in recent history, with an 11-2 mark before their upcoming Bowl Game against Georgia Tech. BYU was one of the teams contending with Notre Dame for the last playoff seeds before ultimately being left out after losing to Texas Tech in their conference championship game. Notre Dame leads the all-time series against BYU 5-2 (7-2 including vacated wins in 2012, 2013). Their most recent matchup took place in Las Vegas in 2022 as part of Notre Dame's annual "Shamrock Series". Notre Dame won the contest 28-20. The upcoming series will likely feature a bit of bad blood, as Notre Dame opted out of their bowl game this season, which would have likely placed it in the Pop Tart Bowl against BYU. At the end of the day, it's tragic that one of the more storied and established rivalries in the sport has taken a hit due to the chaos that is modern-day college football. Although this likely won't be the last time USC is on the schedule (hopefully), it's still a massive hit to the fans on both sides, and fans of college football in general. The history and pageantry of this rivalry are part of what makes this sport so special. The Irish might look to add another home-and-home in 2028 and 2029 before hopefully reconciling with USC and getting the game back by 2030. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Photo via Michigan State University Athletics Following Notre Dame’s decision to opt out of a bowl game after being snubbed from the CFP, the Irish’s offseason has begun a bit earlier than everyone would have hoped. Ideally, Marcus Freeman and staff are using this extra free time to scour the ever-growing transfer portal. Below are three players currently in the transfer portal that the Irish should be targeting: Wake Forest DL Mateen Ibirogba According to 247 Sports Transfer Portal Rankings, Ibirogba is rated as the #3 overall transfer and #1 DL. With Jared Dawson and Gabriel Rubio definitely on their way out, DT is a need for Notre Dame during this cycle, and it would not be surprising if they add more than one player for this position.  So why not the best available option? Although Ibirogba did not record a start this season at Wake Forest, he was a key contributor, and arguably the most talented, in a four-man rotation at the DT spots. In 12 games played this year, he recorded 21 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, two sacks, one forced fumble, and added a blocked kick on special teams. While the Irish could probably use more of a true run-stopper, Ibirogba’s all-around game is hard to pass on. His 26 QB pressures this season were 4th on the team and 2nd among DTs, as a “backup.” He was pretty solid against the run this season, coming up with nine stops and just two missed tackles against rushers.  The Maryland native spent his first two years of college football at Georgetown before transferring to Wake Forest in 2024. Ibirogba did not play much in ‘24, appearing in just four games. However, he proved he can compete with just about anybody this season and would likely be an immediate impact transfer for the Irish. Ibirogba stands at 6-3 and 296 pounds, and has one year of eligibility remaining. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Michigan State WR Nick Marsh While the WR depth at Notre Dame is the best it has been in years, the addition of Marsh to replace Malachi Fields would be huge for the Irish offense and QB CJ Carr. The Spartan transfer is rated as the #9 overall transfer and #2 WR, per 247 Sports. Marsh would be an unusual transfer for Notre Dame, given he is still just a sophomore, but things are always changing in this sport, and the opportunity to bring in a legitimate WR1 is worthy of evolving the program in today's game. Marsh made an immediate impact at MSU as a freshman, leading the team in receiving yards with 649 across 41 receptions, including three touchdowns. His receptions and receiving yards numbers both broke MSU true freshman records.  The 6-3, 203-pound Detroit-native became the clear-cut WR1 in East Lansing this fall when he led the team with 59 catches, 662 yards, and six receiving touchdowns. Marsh earned an honorable mention All-Big Ten nod after recording at least two catches in each game this season.  With two years of eligibility remaining, the chance to pair someone of Marsh’s caliber with the young Carr could end up being a special connection that Irish fans remember for a while. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Cincinnati DB Christian Harrison This would be my veteran, experienced nickelback replacement for DeVonta Smith to compete with sophomore Dallas Golden in the fall. Notre Dame loves their players with NFL lineage, and it does not get much better than the son of the current semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 Class, Rodney Harrison.  Christian Harrison currently ranks as the #81 overall transfer and #12 DB, per 247 Sports. The Atlanta native stands at 6-0, 195 pounds, with one year of eligibility remaining. Harrison spent three seasons at Tennessee, where he made four starts across 25 games played, before transferring to Cincinnati in 2025.  Harrison received, and made the most of, his new starting role with the Bearcats this past fall. While starting all 12 games, he recorded 66 tackles (tied for 3rd-most on the team), 2.5 TFLs, seven PBUs (led team), and one interception (Cincinnati had two interceptions as a team this season). Harrison had two games with 10 tackles and showed out with double-digit tackles and an interception against Utah. The DB has proven his versatility, taking snaps at slot corner and SS this season. He was solid against the run with eight stops but is better in coverage, as highlighted by his seven PBUs. In coverage, Harrison allowed 45 receptions for 380 yards and one touchdown across 61 targets. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame's roster is pretty set in stone on offense due to their young talent at skill positions, but a few portal acquisitions could make the group even more special. Photo by Tyler Wong As the sting of Notre Dame's 2025 season continues to linger, the Irish's roster for next season is starting to take shape with NFL Draft declarations and transfer portal entries. As expected, the generational running back tandem of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price both elected to go to the NFL Draft. Along with Love and Price, tight end Eli Raridon has also announced his decision. The Irish are still waiting on a pair of offensive lineman, Billy Schrauth and Aamil Wagner, to make a decision about where they will be playing football next season. In terms of the transfer portal, the Irish haven't been hit too hard yet in terms of players they want to retain entering the portal. Kenny Minchey's departure was expected, but Anthony Rezac's decision grows the quarterback room even thinner. With that being said, here is an ideal two-deep offensive roster for Notre Dame next season. Quarterback CJ Carr Transfer Portal QB As highlighted in my article last week , the Irish will certainly look for a transfer portal quarterback to backup CJ Carr. Outside of Carr, the only quarterback the Irish will be returning from the 2025 roster will be Blake Hebert. Notre Dame will also be adding Noah Grubbs and, potentially, Teddy Jarrard, to the mix as well. In essence, it's an absurdly young quarterback room with absolutely no experience besides Carr's 12 starts this past season. It would be extremely beneficial for the Irish to go to the portal for a proven commodity who's willing to be a backup this season. Given Notre Dame's rigid academics, it's hard for the Irish to target a quarterback who is in his sophomore or junior years. Given that, look for talented Group of Five senior or an FCS player with extreme experience to provide the room with a bit of stability. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Running Back Aneyas Williams Kedren Young It will be impossible to try and replace Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Impossible . However, Ja'Juan Seider already has an extremely talented room that will be gaining explosive freshman as well. Aneyas Williams and Kedren Young will be Notre Dame's most talented tandem, yet Nolan James Jr. could get some carries, as well. If Young's health is in question or if the room gets a random transfer portal entry, then the Irish may look to bring somebody into the room. A possible candidate could be a former opponent from last year whose name is made for the silver screen. Yet, even if the Irish don't add anyone from the portal, the talent on the current roster is one that would be atop the sport. Wide Receiver Transfer Portal Micah Gilbert Jaden Greathouse Cam Williams Jordan Faison KK Smith Notre Dame's wide receiver depth is significantly better than it has been entering the past two seasons, yet the Irish are still without a bonafide stud on the outside. Malachi Fields was the exact type of player Notre Dame needs for its offense to be explosive, especially with CJ Carr's talents as a drop back passer. Outside of a big bodied wide receiver, the Irish seem to be in a good position with Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse, KK Smith, and others. If someone from that group were to transfer, maybe a player who redshirted last season, then I'd expect the Notre Dame staff to elect to go with two transfer portal wide receivers. If Notre Dame was able to retain everyone in the room, then the Irish should go after one big fish in the wide receiving class. There haven't been many top of the line wide receivers to enter the transfer portal yet, but Nick Marsh from Michigan State would make a ton of sense for the Fighting Irish. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @ LiamFarrell_IT  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Jeremiyah Love has officially declared for the NFL draft following his third place finish in the Heisman race. With Love's Notre Dame career now over, here is a look back at Love's legendary three years in South Bend. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics Love arrived at Notre Dame as a four-star prospect after dominating his competition in the state of Missouri, winning the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year. As a freshman, Love saw the field in all 13 games but was a backup to Audric Estime, who was having his own memorable season. During that 2023 season, Love received minimal carries but was able to find the end zone once during the regular season. He found the end zone one more time in the Sun Bowl, finishing the season with two touchdowns and 504 all-purpose yards. Coming into his sophomore season, the expectations had grown for Love. He showed flashes throughout his freshman season, but it was now time for Love to carry much of the load for an offense that would heavily rely on him. That season opened up with a big road test against Texas A&M, where Love introduced himself to the national spotlight. In that game, Love gave the Irish the lead with a 21-yard run with just under two minutes to go. From that point on, Love only got better. Week after week, Love wowed viewers with his jaw-dropping athleticism, whether it was making defenders miss, running through tackles, or jumping right over them. It was in this season that Love broke Notre Dame's consecutive rushing touchdown record with a touchdown in 13 straight games. Although his regular season was more than impressive, it was in the CFP that Love became a Notre Dame legend to many. In the first-ever CFP game, Love scored the opening touchdown in dramatic fashion with a 98-yard sprint to the endzone. It electrified Notre Dame Stadium and his teammates, leading to a dominant first-round win. Love once again added to his resume in the CFP semifinals against Penn State. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Notre Dame had struggled for most of that game, but was able to remain close throughout the second half. In the first minute of the fourth quarter, Love may have had his best run as a member of the Fighting Irish. From the two-yard line, Love hurdled one defender and fought through three more before stretching the ball across the goal line. This run defined not only Love's playstyle, but the entire 2024 Notre Dame season. Love, known for speed and quickness, showed that he is more than capable of putting his head down to fight through tackles. It was an accurate descriptor for a team that refused to quit and often made plays simply by outworking their opponents. Love finished his impressive season with 1,125 yards, 17 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. With outstanding play in 2024, Love came into this most recent season with extremely high expectations surrounding him, even being considered as a Heisman candidate to start the season. With those kinds of expectations, it would have been hard to live up to or even exceed them. It could be argued that Love did both. The 2025 season displayed much of what Love has been known for, but it appeared that Love had just gotten better at doing it. Against Arkansas, Love scored two rushing and two receiving touchdowns in just the first half, becoming the first Notre Dame player to do so. In a huge matchup against USC, Love could simply not be stopped. He rushed for 228 yards and a touchdown, setting a record for the most rushing yards at Notre Dame Stadium. In a very sluggish game against Boston College, where Notre Dame held a narrow lead and were backed up on their own goal line, Love broke the game open with a 94-yard touchdown. This run was exactly what the Irish needed to build a lead and finish with a win. Although that run was vital for the Irish, it was not even his best run of the season. That came against Pitt, when he made a Pitt defender completely miss the tackle with a video game-like spin move that led to a 56-yard touchdown run. To finish the year, Love ran all over Syracuse, totalling 171 yards and a career-high three rushing touchdowns on just eight carries. Unfortunately for Love, his last game in a Notre Dame uniform was cut short due to an injury he suffered early in the game. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Before his injury, Love was able to break Notre Dame's single-season total touchdown record with 21 and tie the single-season rushing touchdown record with 18. Although the season was abruptly cut short due to a controversial decision by the CFP committee to leave Notre Dame out of the playoffs, the 2025 season will always be a special one for those who got to witness Love's greatness. He has recently been recognized by winning the Doak Walker Award, an honor given to the best running back in the country. To add to that, Love was also a Heisman finalist, finishing third in the voting. Lastly, he was also selected as a First Team All-American. In total, Love finished the 2025 season with 1,372 yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. Players like Love are rare in college football. Whether people love or hate Notre Dame, Love's talent was undeniable. He was a big play waiting to happen, especially when Notre Dame needed it the most. He will undoubtedly be one of the best to ever put on the gold helmet, and while many Irish fans will be sad to see him go, they should be forever grateful for being able to see him play. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame's hot start in the class of 2027 continues, as Elite 4-Star Cornerback Xavier "Zay" Hasan announced his commitment to the Fighting Irish today. Hasan is a 6’0", 180lbs Cornerback out of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 38 overall recruit nationally, and the No. 4 overall Cornerback in the country. Art by The Irish Tribune Before committing to the Irish today, Hasan had 37 Division 1 offers from notable schools such as Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee, and Notre Dame, among others. Notre Dame adds to an already impressive class, with more star-studded talent expected to join the Irish in the near future. Hasan is now the ninth member of the Irish's 2027 recruiting class, joining Composite 4-star CB Ace Alston, 4-star OT James Halter, 4-star LB Amarri Irvin, 4-star S Khalil Terry, Composite 4-star QB Teddy Jarrard, Composite 4-star LB Ellis McGaskin, Composite 4-star DL Richie Flanigan, and 3-star LS Sean Kraft. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Photo via Notre Dame Athletics No. 19 Notre Dame (8-2) hit the road this weekend for a Sunday afternoon contest with the James Madison Dukes (8-3). The Irish, led by Cassandre Prosper’s 24 points and 15 team steals, were able to secure a 78-65 win over the feisty Dukes. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Notre Dame jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead thanks to a couple of early JMU turnovers, and the Irish, led by Cassandre Prosper, were able to make them pay. Hannah Hidalgo hit her first three of the afternoon following a pair of made free throws by JMU to extend the Irish advantage to seven. Iyana Moore and Prosper were able to convert back-to-back baskets to push the Irish lead to 14-5 with 4:39 remaining in the quarter. Moore and Prosper then went back-to-back possessions with a made three, putting Notre Dame ahead 21-11 with 2:01 on the clock. Hidalgo scored the last four Irish points of the quarter, including a pair of free throws after a last-second shooting foul on JMU, to put Notre Dame out front 25-12 after a dominant first ten minutes.  JMU hit a three to open a more tightly-contested second quarter, but Notre Dame was able to respond with a quick 6-0 run to extend their lead to 16 about 2:30 into the frame. Later, a short turnaround jumper from Gisela Sanchez and a made free throw by Hidalgo pushed the Irish lead to 34-17 with 6:05 on the clock. Prosper was able to capitalize on a JMU turnover and hit an easy layup to put Notre Dame up by 18 midway through the quarter. The last five minutes of the half were not as pretty for the Irish, highlighted by bad turnovers and costly fouls. JMU finished the quarter on an 8-4 run to cut the Irish lead to 40-26 heading into halftime. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Malaya Cowles went on a 4-0 run by herself to open another tight quarter, extending the Notre Dame lead back to 18 around 2:30 into the third. Vanessa De Jesus responded to a JMU made layup with a three-pointer to extend the Irish lead to 19, but the Dukes responded with a three of their own to make it a 47-31 game with 7:36 on the clock. This Dukes three kickstarted a 7-2 run for JMU that cut their deficit to 49-35 about four minutes into the half. Notre Dame was able to push their lead out to 20 following a 7-1 run featuring four different Irish scorers. JMU then proceeded to go on a 7-0 run featuring an Irish turnover that made it a 56-43 contest with 1:38 remaining in the quarter. After some back and forth, Cowles hit a mid-range hook with nine seconds left to put Notre Dame ahead 60-45 heading into the final quarter. JMU opened the fourth on a 7-1 run of their own, cutting the Irish lead to just nine points, 61-52, with 7:39 remaining, forcing Niele Ivey to use an early timeout. Notre Dame responded well to the timeout with a quick 5-0 run, including a three from De Jesus, to put the Irish up 66-52 with 5:58 to play. After some back and forth, Prosper converted an and-one opportunity to give Notre Dame a 17-point, 73-56 lead, with 3:11 to play, forcing a JMU timeout. The Dukes were able to close the final three minutes on a 9-5 run, giving the Irish a 78-65 road victory. No. 19 Notre Dame (9-2) hosts Bellarmine next weekend before regular ACC play begins. Irish Stars: Cassandre Prosper - 24 points (11-16 FGs), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, +11, 40 minutes Malaya Cowles - 17 points (7-12 FGs), 4 rebounds, 5 steals, 1 block, +7, 34 minutes Hannah Hidalgo - 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, +10, 37 minutes Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (46%) - JMU (41%) Three Point Percentage: ND (37%) - JMU (33%) Turnovers: JMU (19) - ND (9) Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Coach Micah Shrewsberry and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish seem to be locked in, even following the recent loss of Markus Burton, with ACC play right around the corner. The Irish extended their winning streak to four games this Saturday with a fairly dominant 82-58 win at home against the Evansville Purple Aces. Braeden Shrewsberry and Sir Mohammed led the Irish offensively, combining for 47 of the team’s 82 points. Shrewsberry was a walking blowtorch, drilling 8/10 three-pointers in a 26-point outing. Mohammed added 21 points off the bench on an efficient 8/12 shooting day. Mohammed also had three of the Irish’s nine steals. There is no question that Notre Dame’s 14 made threes played a pivotal role in the performance. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! The first half was the Shrewsberry show as he shot 5/6 from deep in a 17-point outburst. Mohammed also added 11 points in 12 minutes off the bench in a strong first 20 minutes from the Irish. Notre Dame shot 7/10 from three as a team as they scored 41 first-half points featuring good rebounding and bench play. The three-ball was falling early and often at Purcell Pavilion, with Notre Dame jumping out to an 8-0 lead with threes from Garrett Sundra and Shrewsberry. Evansville matched with an 8-0 run themselves to tie it up 4:30 into the game. After the Purple Aces took a brief 12-10 lead, the Irish responded with an 11-point run, thanks to a couple of threes from Shrewsberry and a couple of nice baskets by Mohammed, that put the home squad on top 21-12 with 11:22 left in the half. Evansville was able to get the game back within five following a three-pointer with 6:42 on the clock and the Irish up 26-21. Shrewsberry proceeded to knock down his fourth three-pointer of the half, and a pair of made free throws by Brady Koehler extended the Irish lead back to double digits before the 4:00 media timeout. Out of the break, the Purple Aces cut the Irish lead to eight, but then Shrewsberry hit his fifth three of the half, and Koehler converted an and-one opportunity to put Notre Dame up 37-23 with 2:02 to play. After back-to-back baskets by Mohammed in the final minute, Evansville hit a three-pointer in the final seconds to cut down the Irish lead to 41-29 at the half. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle The Purple Aces had a strong start to the second half, but it was ultimately no match as the Irish outscored their opponents 41-29, for the second time in two halves. The second half was a more team-oriented effort from Notre Dame, with four different scorers tallying at least five points, with Mohammed leading the way with 10. The Irish completely shut down the Evansville bench in the half, outscoring them 16-3 in bench points. The second half scoring began at a slower pace with you know who (Shrewsberry) knocking down a three to open the half. However, Evansville proceeded to put together a 20-6 run in almost a 6:30-minute span that made it a one-possession, 52-49 game. The Purple Aces’ Connor Turnbull scored half of the road team’s points during that stretch. Back-to-back threes from Shrewsberry and Sundra kicked off a 9-0 run that put the Irish back ahead by 12 with 10:17 to play. Following an Evansville made layup, Logan Imes and Mohammed knocked down threes as part of an 8-0 run to extend the Irish lead to 18. After Turnbull hit a layup to halt one Irish run, they proceeded to go on another 9-0 run to go up by 25 with 1:57 remaining. Coach Shrewsberry emptied the bench, and Notre Dame was able to secure the 82-58 victory. Notre Dame (9-3) wraps up non-conference play on December 21 when the Irish host IPFW. Irish Stars: Braeden Shrewsberry - 26 points (9-12 FGs, 8-10 3FGs), 2 rebounds, +15, 32 minutes Sir Mohammed - 21 points (8-12 FGs, 2-3 3FGs), 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals, +20, 22 minutes Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (47%) - UE (40%) Three Point Percentage: ND (56%) - UE (33%) Turnovers: ND (13) - UE (12) Rebounds: ND (38) - UE (32) Bench Points: ND (32) - UE (12) Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

With Kenny Minchey entering the transfer portal, Notre Dame now faces a difficult challenge in finding a reliable backup for CJ Carr. Photo by Tyler Wong After Notre Dame's playoff hopes came to an abrupt close this past Sunday, the Irish received news of their first portal entry: backup quarterback Kenny Minchey. Minchey, who has displayed loyalty to the Notre Dame Football program throughout his time in South Bend, was narrowly edged out by CJ Carr during fall camp to earn the QB1 honor. With Carr emerging on the scene and establishing himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the country, the writing was on the wall for Minchey's future with the Irish. As a prospect, Minchey was a four-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class and was a late addition to Notre Dame after flipping his commitment from Pat Narduzzi and the Pittsburgh Panthers. Now, in the portal, Minchey will certainly be a highly sought after prospect who has shined in limited snaps with Notre Dame. This season, Minchey was 20-26 for 196 yards and a rushing touchdown. In terms of the 2026 Notre Dame football team, Minchey's departure leaves the Irish in a precarious position. CJ Carr is clearly the quarterback of the future and will be a bonafide leader of next year's team, so the portal may be tricky waters to navigate. In the past, a couple of respected programs added transfer portal quarterbacks to be backups. LSU signed Michael Van Buren Jr., a previous starter at Mississippi State, to be a backup to Garrett Nussmeier. Oregon signed Dante Moore to back up Dillion Gabriel for a year before taking the reins for the Ducks. Even this year, Ole Miss signed Trinidad Chambliss to be a reliable option behind Austin Simmons, and it worked to perfection as Simmons' early-season injury paved the way for Chambliss to start and ultimately, catapult the Rebels into the CFP. It will be intriguing to see the direction Marcus Freeman and General Manager Mike Martin elect in terms of finding a reliable backup option. Will you turn to someone who has had success at a lower level, a group of five school or an FCS quarterback? Or will you look for a more talented quarterback, that maybe lacks experience, but hails from a bigger program? Notre Dame already operates in the portal on difficult terms because of their academic requirements, mostly focusing on graduate students or freshmen, yet there have been exceptions in the past and it is a key focal point for the Irish moving forward. Other quarterbacks that will be on the roster include Blake Hebert and Noah Grubbs, with the potential of Teddy Jarrard to reclassify as well. Knowing this, Notre Dame really doesn't know what they have in the quarterback room outside of a redshirt freshman QB that threw for 2,741 yards last season. With that being said, Notre Dame will likely be active in the quarterback transfer portal, but in a different sense than when they were shopping for the likes of Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard. As the transfer portal window comes next month, be sure to subscribe to Tribune + to get all the latest intel on every single Notre Dame move. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @ LiamFarrell_IT  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Photo by Arav Patel In a time where media personalities, networks, coaches, and fans routinely claim Notre Dame is “irrelevant,” the Irish spent four straight days proving the opposite. From the moment the College Football Playoff committee announced at roughly 12:30 PM EST on Sunday, December 7th, that Notre Dame would not be included in the 12-team playoff field, the national conversation shifted—and it didn't shift away. It shifted entirely toward Notre Dame. For the next 96 hours, every major sports network, radio show, digital outlet, podcast, message board, and social media platform centered its attention on one program. Even as Indiana stunned No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday night—earning the Hoosiers the first No. 1 ranking in school history—the spotlight remained fixed on South Bend. While other schools spent the week celebrating milestones or preparing for bowl matchups, Notre Dame was commanding the storylines. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! The Statement Heard Across College Football The moment Notre Dame released its post-announcement statement declining a bowl invitation, the conversation intensified. It wasn’t merely a headline; it became the headline. Prominent voices rushed to weigh in. ESPN’s Booger McFarland labeled it a “weak move.” FOX’s Joel Klatt called it “petty.” And then came a nearly two-minute tirade from Stephen A. Smith on First Take , turning Notre Dame’s decision into national theater. Ranting about independence, media rights revenue, and accountability, Smith delivered a monologue that instantly circulated across the internet. I didn’t even include the entire quote, but it hardly matters—the clip speaks for itself. What matters is that the list of reactions only continued to grow. Every major outlet you can name—whether they praised Notre Dame, condemned them, or simply wanted the engagement traffic—was talking about the Irish. Some argued the decision was a principled protest. Others said it revealed entitlement. But regardless of the angle, the effect was the same: Notre Dame owned the news cycle. Why This Moment Matters Notre Dame dominating attention is not unusual. It is one of the few programs in college sports that can generate headlines in-season, off-season, good season, or bad season. But what made this week different was the sheer duration and intensity of the discourse. This was not a single news blast. It was not a 24-hour reaction. It was a sustained national fixation—one that overshadowed playoff-bound teams, coaching carousel moves, and historic on-field results. And that exposure matters. For a brand often criticized for leaning too heavily on tradition and history, moments like these reveal something undeniable: Notre Dame’s relevance is not nostalgia-based—it is real-time, modern-media dominance. The Irish didn’t even play a game, yet they drove engagement metrics, dictated show rundowns, and fueled hours of TV programming across networks that typically compete for attention rather than converge on a single story. The Irish Tribune Numbers Tell the Story Nothing illustrates Notre Dame’s current media power more clearly than the analytics. Between December 7th and December 9th alone, The Irish Tribune surpassed 12 million views across Facebook, Instagram, and X , marking one of the highest engagement surges in our company's history. The last time we saw anything remotely close? Immediately after the Orange Bowl and leading into last year’s National Championship game—a window where interest naturally peaks. That interval included a roughly ten-day gap filled with nonstop playoff discourse. This time, it took three days . Notre Dame did not play. Notre Dame did not win. Notre Dame did not even participate in a bowl game. And yet, Notre Dame still pulled national-championship-week numbers. So, Irrelevant? Far From It. The “Notre Dame is irrelevant” narrative collapses under the weight of weeks like this. Programs without relevance do not dominate national media for four consecutive days. They don’t spark reactions from the most influential personalities in sports media. They don’t overshadow a top-ranked Big Ten matchup or a No. 1 upset. They don’t cause networks to reorder entire show scripts. And they certainly don't drive eight-digit social engagement metrics across independent media outlets. Relevance isn’t measured by playoff bids or conference affiliations. Relevance is measured by attention. And for four days—across platforms, across networks, across the entire nation—the attention belonged to Notre Dame. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle The “47 Years Since a National Championship” Argument Falls Apart Any time Notre Dame enters a major national conversation, critics reliably reach for the same talking point: “They haven’t won a national championship in 47 years.” It’s the seemingly perfect go-to line, the reflexive jab, the stat meant to end every debate about Notre Dame’s standing in the sport. But in the context of relevance, that argument collapses instantly. If championships were the sole determinant of relevance, then entire conferences, dozens of major brands, and half the current playoff field each year would be labeled irrelevant, too. Miami hasn’t won since 2001. Tennessee since 1998. Texas since 2005. Michigan, before 2023, went 25 years without one. The majority of programs hailed today as “blue bloods” have gone through decades-long droughts. Yet none of them face the same scrutiny Notre Dame does. Why? Because Notre Dame’s value to college football has never rested solely on the last trophy lifted. It rests on national interest , measurable attention, unmatched brand power, and the ability to dominate a conversation, even when the team is not on the field. Relevance is about impact, not hardware. And the impact is obvious: Notre Dame missing the Playoff drove more conversation than several teams making the Playoff Notre Dame declining a bowl bid produced more national outrage, debate, and ratings than most bowl selections themselves Notre Dame’s name appearing on a headline, regardless of the context, generates more clicks, comments, and viewership than almost any other program in America If a 47-year drought truly made a program irrelevant, then the media would simply ignore Notre Dame. There would be no tirades, no think pieces, no emergency segments on ESPN, no viral debates, and no multi-day news cycle centered around South Bend. Instead, the opposite happens. Every. Single. Time. What the “47 years” talking point really proves is not irrelevance, but the reverse: Notre Dame’s standard remains so historically high, its brand so culturally embedded, that people still expect championships from them nearly half a century later. No other program in America gets held to a bar that old and that high. That’s not irrelevance. That’s influence. The 2024 Push for the First-Ever On-Campus CFP Game in South Bend Another major blow to the “irrelevance” narrative came just one season prior, when a large behind-the-scenes push began behind the idea of Notre Dame hosting the first-ever on-campus College Football Playoff game in 2024. The idea of hosting the matchup in what some consider the "mecca" of College Football was an opportunity ESPN couldn't pass up. Before the bracket was even finalized, South Bend was trending. Major outlets published pieces envisioning a snowy playoff atmosphere at Notre Dame Stadium, and social media erupted with ticket projections, travel plans, and excitement over an in-state showdown that felt made for prime-time television. No other potential opening-round game generated anywhere near the same buzz. The fact that a projection —not an official announcement—was enough to dominate conversation shows just how powerful the Notre Dame brand remains. Programs deemed “irrelevant” do not spark nationwide anticipation for a hypothetical matchup, let alone one that would have made South Bend the center of the college football world. Even the possibility alone proved the point: Notre Dame still moves the needle in ways only a handful of programs can. Notre Dame Has Proven It Leads the Sport—Most Recently in 2020 If there is any doubt about Notre Dame’s influence on the direction of the sport, all anyone needs to do is look back to 2020. At a time when conferences were canceling, delaying, or hesitating, Notre Dame played a central role in keeping college football alive during one of the most uncertain seasons in the sport’s history. By temporarily joining the ACC, agreeing to conference testing protocols, revenue sharing, and a full league schedule, the Irish helped stabilize a chaotic national landscape. It wasn’t a small gesture; it was a pivotal one . Notre Dame’s participation helped validate the ACC’s season, allowed for high-profile matchups that carried the sport’s TV inventory, and signaled to fans and networks that college football could move forward safely and competitively. Multiple conference administrators later acknowledged that Notre Dame’s willingness to adapt was a major factor in giving the 2020 season structure instead of collapse. And that is the larger point: When meaningful change happens, Notre Dame is usually at the front. Whether it is playoff expansion, scheduling reform, media negotiations, or conference alignment, the Irish remain one of the few programs with the national weight to influence the direction of the sport. If the current model shifts again—as many believe it will—Notre Dame will be leading the charge more than anyone else. Irrelevant programs do not steady a sport during a crisis. They do not anchor conferences. They do not shape national decisions. Notre Dame does. Some may call the decision to opt out of a bowl game cowardice or petty, or even that the actions of their program are "egregious," as stated by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. But can change happen by sitting down and doing nothing? History says different. If anyone can and will change this sport for the better, it's Notre Dame. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Well, it seems like Notre Dame is still the talk of the sporting world following the controversial decision by the committee to leave the Irish out of the CFP. Since then, Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua has done the media rounds and a press conference to tell Notre Dame's side of the story. In case you missed it, here are the three main takeaways of Bevacqua's somewhat fiery press conference. Notre Dame feels as if the rug was pulled out from underneath them During the press conference, Bevacqua made it clear how he and the entire program felt about the CFP committee's choice to leave Notre Dame out of the playoffs after having them in through the entirety of the ranking season. He made it clear that it was this process he had problems with, not the teams that were selected instead of the Irish. "As I said yesterday, as I said on Sunday, we felt we did everything we could over the course of the season... We felt that the CFP committee, the ranking committee, felt the same way. You go back to that first ranking where we were 6-2, and Miami was 6-2, and they had already beaten us. And we were 10th, and they were 18th. And the only thing that happened from that point forward is we both went on these amazing runs. And through no fault of our own, we wake up and find out that we’re the odd man out, we’re on the outside looking in" Bevacqua said. Bevacqua was clear in his explanation that he had no issue with Alabama and Miami getting in, claiming they were both great teams deserving of the spots. Like most Notre Dame fans, Bevacqua and the team felt blindsided due to the questionable process the committee took to establish the 12 teams that would take part in the playoff. As he said, Notre Dame had been ranked inside the playoffs for the entire duration of the rankings, leading many to believe that as long as Notre Dame continued to play well, they would get in. It was not until the final rankings that it seemed like that was no longer enough to convince the committee that they were deserving of a spot. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! There is real tension between Notre Dame and the ACC Through all of the CFP controversy, Notre Dame has also found itself in the middle of more controversy regarding their relationship with the ACC. During Bevacqua's interview on The Dan Patrick Show, he made it clear that the ACC's campaign to get Miami in the playoff caused "permanent damage" to the two's relationship. In Tuesday's press conference, he went on to explain that the ACC's actions were surprising to many within the Notre Dame administration, given the mutually beneficial relationship Notre Dame and the conference have built for the last decade. "We were really surprised by and disappointed (by) was how the ACC conference really went on a social media campaign, in my opinion, attacking our football program... And it just kind of puzzled us that a conference that’s home to over 600 of our student athletes walking around this campus today, I guess chose to go down that road. I guess intellectually I understand it, but I certainly don’t agree with it" Bevacqua said. The Notre Dame Football Program and the ACC have been partners since 2014. This partnership has given Notre Dame an easier and more sustainable avenue to play power-4 opponents throughout the season, while still maintaining many traditional rivalries. For the ACC, it provides the conference with a national brand and consistent, high-level competition. Bevacqua was sure to illustrate the immense value Notre Dame brings to the ACC. "And the ACC is important to us, and we’re important to the ACC. And think about football for a minute. Those ACC teams wanna play us in football. Interesting stat, since 2014, when we started our football relationship with the ACC, if you look at stadiums, ACC games sell out roughly 23% of the time. When Notre Dame goes to an ACC site, it’s 90% of the time. When you think about ratings for ACC football games when they play Notre Dame, there’s a tremendous lift" Bevacqua said. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Notre Dame will continue to support Marcus Freeman by any means necessary Towards the end of the press conference, Bevacqua raved about Marcus Freeman and his importance to not only the football program but the entire university. “It’s tough to say he’s more than the Notre Dame football coach, because being the Notre Dame football coach means so much. But he’s more than the Notre Dame football coach. He’s part of this university. He’s part of the fabric of this university. So is Joanna. So are his kids. He’s everywhere. As you’ve heard me say before, he’s at soccer games, women’s and men’s basketball games, hockey games talking to students. He’s an amazing individual and an amazing leader, and we feel blessed that he’s our coach" Bevacqua said. This all came after being asked about NFL teams potentially being interested in Freeman. While Bevacqua understands the interest in Freeman, he assured the Notre Dame faithful that he knows how important Freeman is to the program. "I would never say we wouldn’t match anything when it comes to Marcus. Everybody has eyes on Marcus. College has eyes on Marcus. NFL has eyes on Marcus. I bet Hollywood has eyes on Marcus...It’s one of my main obligations and responsibilities to this university: to make sure Marcus wakes up every day knowing that he is supported and valued by Notre Dame. And I can say with 100% certainty he feels that way. Notre Dame is totally aligned around the importance of college football for Notre Dame. We’re totally aligned on how he is the perfect coach for Notre Dame" Bevacqua said. Now that Notre Dame has entered the off-season, Bevacqua stated that although the pain of missing the playoffs hurts, the program needs to turn the page to 2026 while still appreciating the accomplishments of the 2025 season. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

The nightmare scenario happened. Notre Dame was left out of the College Football Playoff in favor of Alabama and Miami. The result isn't what anyone associated with Notre Dame wanted, but the Irish were never truly in control of their own destiny. The issue? Their once-thought allies became one of the very elements campaigning against them. Let's take a look at the how and why. Photo by Arav Patel Following the loss to Texas A&M, Notre Dame needed a lot of help to get into the playoff field. Throughout the season, that possibility became greater and greater. Miami, once the No. 2 team in the nation, dropped two games midseason to Louisville and SMU. Teams began dropping left and right, making the path easier and easier for the Irish, but something happened that caught the eye of college football fans around the country. In late November, the ACC Football X (formerly Twitter) account began openly promoting Miami over Notre Dame. Not subtly. Not indirectly. But through direct posts and graphics pushing the Hurricanes as the ACC’s playoff representative, despite Notre Dame being a conference affiliate whose 24 varsity sports compete under the ACC banner. To many, it felt like the league was intentionally choosing a side. And that side wasn’t Notre Dame. For a program that has long walked a tightrope between football independence and partial conference membership, this moment felt like a crack in the foundation. Internally, shock gave way to frustration. Externally, fans and analysts questioned why a conference that benefited enormously from Notre Dame’s brand, viewership, and scheduling agreements would publicly campaign against them at the most crucial moment of the season. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua didn’t hide his distraught. “We were mystified by the actions of the conference,” he said following the announcement of the final playoff rankings. Bevacqua made it clear that the incident went beyond a simple social media misstep. He referred to the ACC’s behavior as causing “ permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame, ” a striking statement from the leader of a program known for its diplomatic steadiness. The Irish didn’t get the help they needed on the field, but the off-field dynamic may have hurt even more. In the end, Notre Dame wasn’t simply competing against other programs; they were competing against the very league many assumed was standing beside them. The ACC Agreement, and Why Notre Dame Must Reevaluate Everything To understand the weight of this moment, it’s essential to understand what the ACC affiliation agreement actually is. Notre Dame is not a full football member of the ACC, but it is tied to the conference through a unique and complex partnership. The Irish play five ACC opponents each season, share revenue from the ACC’s media rights package, and compete in the conference for 24 other varsity sports. In return, the ACC receives a substantial boost, from TV ratings to brand prestige to increased national exposure. The Irish have participated in the league since 2014, and gave up multiple historical rivalries by doing so (Michigan and Michigan State). The relationship has always been presented as mutually beneficial. Notre Dame gets scheduling stability and a home for its Olympic sports, while the ACC gets the viewership and national reach that only Notre Dame can provide. In 2020, when the pandemic forced Notre Dame to temporarily join the ACC for football, the league enjoyed its highest ratings in years, cementing just how valuable the Irish brand is to the conference. But all of that rests on trust. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! When the ACC Football X account began openly campaigning for Miami, it violated the spirit of that trust. Notre Dame was already fighting an uphill battle for a playoff spot, and seeing the one conference they are affiliated with actively push another team into the field felt like a betrayal. Instead of neutrality, or even basic professionalism—the league appeared to take a stance. This exposed the deeper issue: Notre Dame fulfills its obligations to the ACC, but the ACC did not show the loyalty traditionally offered to an affiliate partner. If the conference is willing to publicly undermine Notre Dame at the season’s most critical moment, what message does that send about the long-term stability of the relationship? For many within and around the program, the answer is becoming increasingly clear—Notre Dame must reconsider whether remaining in the ACC alignment is still in its best interests. Getting out of the agreement would be complicated. The ACC’s grant-of-rights structure is notoriously restrictive, and separating Olympic sports would require careful negotiation. But the playoff snub, and the ACC’s public behavior, may accelerate conversations that previously felt distant or theoretical. “But what we were surprised by and disappointed by was how the ACC conference really went on a social media campaign, in my opinion, attacking our football program,” AD Pete Bevacqua stated in his press conference yesterday. Bevacqua would go on to further discuss the benefits the ACC receives by Notre Dame being in the conference, exclaiming: “An interesting stat, since 2014 when we started our football relationship with the ACC, if you look at stadiums, ACC stadiums sell out roughly 20% of the time when Notre Dame goes to an ACC site its 90% of the time. When you think about ratings for ACC football games, when they play Notre Dame, there is a tremendous lift.” Notre Dame has options. They can remain fully independent in football while seeking a new conference for the rest of their sports. They can leverage their unmatched national brand to pursue better arrangements. They can even push for structural changes within the ACC itself. What is no longer an option is pretending that the relationship is functioning as intended. Notre Dame has fiercely guarded its football independence for over a century. The ACC benefitted from that arrangement, right up until the moment it openly promoted a competitor at Notre Dame’s expense. When the league aligned itself against the Irish in the playoff race, it revealed just how fragile the partnership truly is. The fallout from this postseason snub may last months or years, but one truth stands out already: Notre Dame must ask whether the ACC is still a partner—or simply a placeholder. And if it’s the latter, the Irish owe it to themselves to begin charting a new path, one where their postseason fate isn’t influenced by a conference that should have been beside them, not working against them. Exploring New Paths: Big Ten, SEC, or a Split-Conference Model If the ACC has signaled that Notre Dame’s interests are not a priority, then the Irish must begin seriously exploring what comes next. Fortunately, Notre Dame’s brand power gives it leverage that few programs in college athletics possess. Whether through a realignment of its non-football sports or a restructured football scheduling model, the Irish have multiple avenues available, and each one may offer more stability and respect than the current ACC affiliation. Option 1: A Football Scheduling Agreement With the Big Ten The Big Ten has always been the most natural geographic and historical partner for Notre Dame. The Irish already have traditional rivalries with Big Ten opponents like Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue, and their fanbases overlap significantly across the Midwest. A scheduling agreement committing Notre Dame to three or four Big Ten games each season could provide: Stronger strength of schedule metrics, which the expanded Playoff committee values Consistent rivalry matchups that drive national TV numbers A deeper pool of high-profile, nationally relevant games An answer to keeping USC permanently on the schedule The Big Ten, now expanded with USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, could offer Notre Dame an unparalleled annual slate. More importantly, the conference has the financial stability and media reach that the ACC lacks, meaning Notre Dame’s independence wouldn’t be jeopardized by uncertain or uneven conference politics. The agreement would also maintain Notre Dame's ability to travel nationally for games, which was a major recruiting advantage of the ACC schedule. Playing games in California, the Northeast, South, and Mid-Atlantic were always benefited from Notre Dame's traditional schedule, and the expanded Big 10 can still provide access to that. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Option 2: A Football Partnership With the SEC If Notre Dame wants to maximize national exposure and playoff credibility, a structured agreement with the SEC would do exactly that. The Irish already play SEC programs in major matchups, such as Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, & LSU. Those games routinely draw enormous ratings. A Notre Dame-SEC scheduling agreement would grant: Guaranteed top-tier matchups every season Instant credibility with playoff committees, who consistently prioritize SEC victories and scheduling A national recruiting advantage, especially in the South The SEC would almost certainly welcome the Irish brand with open arms. Adding Notre Dame to yearly broadcast windows would boost viewership, sponsorship value, and national attention—making this a mutually beneficial partnership. Option 3: A Big 12 Partnership The Big 12 has ruled in Middle America for decades, and despite recent realignment, it remains one of the most geographically diverse and competitively unpredictable conferences in college football. With the addition of Houston, BYU, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado, the Big 12 now stretches from the Southwest to the Rockies to the Midwest, creating a national footprint that aligns surprisingly well with Notre Dame’s historic scheduling identity. A Notre Dame/Big 12 scheduling agreement could provide several unique advantages: Access to emerging football markets in Texas, Utah, and Arizona Opportunities for high-energy, high-scoring national broadcasts, a hallmark of the Big 12 Fresh annual matchups that avoid repetition and allow Notre Dame to expand recruiting and viewership Unlike the SEC and Big Ten, whose top-heavy structures make yearly competition brutally demanding, the Big 12 presents a more balanced tier of opponents. Programs like Utah, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and TCU would still boost Notre Dame’s strength of schedule without forcing the Irish into a gauntlet of top-five opponents every season. Additionally, the Big 12’s increased presence in major recruiting areas—especially Texas—would help Notre Dame maintain and grow its national recruiting pipeline. Notre Dame has long relied on Texas talent, and annual games in the region would reinforce that presence. From a business standpoint, the Big 12 is aggressively positioning itself as a media-friendly, innovation-focused conference willing to take risks to increase exposure. Yormark’s leadership has shown a desire to modernize branding, scheduling, and TV engagement. Notre Dame’s national brand would fit directly into that mission, allowing both sides to create marquee matchups outside traditional conference boundaries. A Big 12 agreement would also allow Notre Dame to: Maintain independence without the political entanglement seen in the ACC Play in multiple time zones, stretching from Morgantown to Provo Create new rivalries while preserving the flexibility needed for historic ones While the SEC and Big Ten offer elite competition and financial stability, the Big 12 offers something equally valuable: adaptability and national reach without excessive demands on Notre Dame’s independence. For an institution that values control over its schedule and identity, the Big 12 partnership could become one of the most strategic options available. Option 4: A Revolutionary Split-Conference Model Perhaps the most intriguing possibility is a hybrid scheduling agreement where Notre Dame plays a combination of Big Ten and SEC opponents each season. For example: Three Big Ten opponents per year Three SEC opponents per year Remainder from strategic rivals (USC, Stanford, Navy) and rotating games This model would essentially give Notre Dame the strongest schedule in the country every season—without ever joining a conference. It would: Eliminate dependence on one league’s political agenda Guarantee elite matchups that boost playoff résumés Increase national exposure across both the Midwest and the South Provide flexibility to adapt as college football continues its rapid realignment In an era where TV value, competitive strength, and postseason visibility matter more than conference loyalty, such a model could elevate Notre Dame to a position no other program could replicate. An example schedule under this format: Week 1: Exhibition game (Most likely Shamrock Series) Week 2: MAC Opponent/Rotating Rival (Ex: Purdue, Pitt) Week 3: Washington (Big 10) Week 4: South Carolina (SEC) Week 5: Bye Week Week 6: Michigan State (Big 10) Week 7: Georgia (SEC) Week 8: USC (Rivalry) Week 9: Florida (SEC) Week 10: Navy (Rivalry) Week 11: Bye Week Week 12: Clemson (12-Year Agreement) Week 13: Ohio State (Big 10) Week 14: Stanford (Rivalry) This style of agreement would undoubtedly give the Irish a Top 10 Strength of Schedule (at worst) annually, and would help silence any critics regarding how 'deserving' they are of a playoff spot.  A Future No Longer Tied to One Conference Whether the Irish explore a Big Ten agreement, SEC partnership, or hybrid model, one theme is clear: Notre Dame has options that do not require being tethered to the ACC, especially not after the public undermining displayed during this season’s playoff campaign. The Irish have the leverage to create a scheduling structure that: Protects their independence Strengthens their playoff standing Enhances national reach Removes vulnerability to conference politics that they cannot control If the ACC relationship has fractured beyond repair, Notre Dame can, and should, begin planning for a future built on partnerships that respect the value and history of one of college football’s most iconic programs. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

For the first time since 2012, Notre Dame will be represented at the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York City following RB Jeremiyah Love’s selection as a finalist for the most prestigious honor in college football. Love, the only non-QB to earn an invite this year, will be joined by Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt’s Diego Paivia, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. Since its establishment in 1935, Notre Dame has been no stranger to the award, with the Irish being home to seven Heisman winners, tied for the second-most in the country. The Irish are tied with Oklahoma and the Buckeyes, who also have a shot of tying USC’s record eight Heisman trophies, thanks to Love and Sayin, respectively.   Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Below is a list of Notre Dame’s top three Heisman Trophy finishes since 1935: 1935: RB Bill Shakespeare (3rd) 1941: QB Angelo Bertelli (2nd) 1943: QB Angelo Bertelli (Winner) 1946: QB Johnny Lujack (3rd) 1947: QB Johnny Lujack (Winner) 1949: TE Leon Hart (Winner) 1953: RB John Lattner (Winner) 1956: QB Paul Hornung (Winner) 1964: QB John Huarte (Winner) 1966: RB Nick Eddy (3rd) 1968: QB Teddy Hanratty (3rd) 1970: QB Joe Theismann (2nd) 1977: TE Ken MacAfee (3rd) 1987: WR Tim Brown (Winner) 1990: RB Raghib “Rocket” Ismail (2nd) 2006: QB Brady Quinn (3rd) 2012: LB Manti Te’o (2nd) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle With Mendoza being a heavy favorite after leading Indiana to an undefeated Big Ten Championship season, it does seem unlikely Love will bring home the Heisman to South Bend. However, in an award dominated by Quarterbacks and the rare Travis Hunter scenario, Love’s invitation to New York should speak volumes about the player he is. And now the country will have an even greater opportunity to see what we all know, and that is he might just be a better person than a football player. This season, Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry for 1,372 yards (4th-most in ND history) and 18 touchdowns (tied-1st most in ND history). The do-it-all back added 280 yards and three touchdowns on 27 receptions. Love’s 21 total touchdowns surpassed Jerome Bettis’s 1991 season for the most in a single season in Irish history.  Regardless of where Love finishes in the voting, he will go down as a Notre Dame legend and, arguably, the greatest Irish RB of all time. It is a shame his season, along with the rest of the team, had to end the way it did, but the voters could bring some justice by selecting Love as this year’s Heisman Trophy winner. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!