PINEHURST, N.C. — Notre Dame loves its football independence. The rest of college football wishes the Irish would join a conference.
“I prefer them being all the way (in the ACC), but that’s just not the way it is right now,” said North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora on Tuesday at ACC Kickoff.
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The Fighting Irish have resisted fully joining a conference — they are full ACC members in all sports except football and hockey — but have agreed to schedule five ACC games a year.
In 2014, Notre Dame played Syracuse, North Carolina, Florida State and Louisville and has Virginia, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest and Boston College on the slate in 2015.
That also puts them in a unique situation when it comes to vying for a spot in the College Football Playoff. And that doesn’t please Missouri coach Gary Pinkel.
Gary Pinkel said no independents in @CFBPlayoff. “Give Notre Dame year to join a league. They don’t have independents in NFL"
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) July 20, 2015So will the Fighting Irish add more ACC games to their schedule or fully join the conference? Not according to ACC commissioner John Swofford.
“The five is where we settled in a very long and extended negotiation,” he said. “I think it gives us what we felt like we needed bringing them in without football and it gave them the opportunity to schedule the way they want to schedule.
“They cherish their football independence and I understand and respect that. It gives them an opportunity to play coast to coast and that’s important to Notre Dame.”
One year into the agreement, Swofford likes what he sees.
“It’s gone extraordinarily well, and I think you’d get the same answer from Notre Dame,” he said at ACC Kickoff. “They’re a great addition, they’ve been terrific around the table, great to work with.
“As (Notre Dame athletic director) Jack Swarbrick told me as we walked off the floor after they won the basketball championship in Greensboro, N.C., he said, ‘Now I feel like we really belong’ and I understood what he was saying. It’s a great place, unique place and I’m pleased they’re a part of our league.”
