CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up on the sideline in the first half against the Clemson Tigers during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images Joshua Vowles Fri, October 23, 2026 at 7:30 AM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's practically a battle cry across college football whenever anyone invokes the name of Notre Dame.
Outside of it being annoying and completely ignorant of Notre Dame's history, and in some ways the history of college football, the phrase itself might be history as well.
The impending expansion of the college football playoff to 24 teams is making some major waves in the sport as the system is changing course. Once the new 24 team playoff is in place, there will be NO more conference championship games. So, essentially, conferences are just scheduling partners with group media rights.
In a 18 team or 20 team conference, who in the hell is the true conference champion without some wild tiebreakers or just the luck of the scheduling draw? And again… who really cares when there is a massive national playoff on tap?
The Miami Hurricanes are quickly coming to this realization.
The Canes, like Florida State and Clemson, are feeling the squeeze of being members of the ACC — a "second tier" conference according to some. They're looking for a way out, and that way out could be independence.
"If we have to go independent, I like our chances because we are a national brand. I wouldn't like to do that because scheduling [other sports] is really tough. It's great for football but what about track, volleyball and the golf team?"
There really is no way of knowing what moves these schools will eventually make (if any) but it's becoming clearer and clearer, that being in a conference (top tier or not) isn't anything close to what it used to be. The program who is best suited to move forward in this new era is seemingly the Notre Dame Fighting Irish — who have been independent since day one.
Join a conference. Why? What's the point? What difference would any of it make as we get into 2027?
If the entire world of college football has come down to maximizing football revenue and the playoff, it makes little sense to tie oneself to a group of schools just get a conference Boy Scout Patch on the uniform.
Independence yesterday. Independence today. Independence forever for Notre Dame, and maybe a few other programs finally figure it out.
Source: Sports
