Two Steps That Could Push Notre Dame to Join the Big Ten

Days after a seismic shift in the college football landscape, many observers are watching to see how independent titan Notre Dame will react.

In the wake of Thursday's whirlwind departure from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten by USC and UCLA, speculation is rampant that the Big Ten isn't done expanding. The next move likely belongs to Notre Dame, one industry insider told Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde. However, the insider mentions that there is no timetable for a decision by the Fighting Irish.

A source familiar with the thinking inside Notre Dame's athletic department told Forde that the school's likely preference is to remain independent. However, Forde listed two issues that could nudge the…