For more than a decade, Notre Dame’s scheduling agreement with the ACC has been framed as a reasonable compromise: preserve independence, maintain national flexibility, and gain a predictable rotation of conference opponents. In 2014, that made sense. Clemson and Florida State were national powers, Miami looked like it might re-emerge, and the ACC had enough competitive depth to justify an annual commitment.
That world is gone.
The ACC has weakened while the SEC and Big Ten have evolved into super-conferences. Yet Notre Dame remains locked into an arrangement that guarantees five ACC opponents every year – and in certain seasons, like 2025, even adds a sixth.