If ND wins out and doesn't make the playoffs will they join the ACC in football? If ND wins out a takes a playoff spot from a conference champion will a rule be made that you have to be a conference champion to get a playoff spot?

No and no.

(11-07-2015 11:27 PM)WakeForestRanger Wrote:  No and no.

This.

So would ND benefit by playing football in a conference?

Maybe ND would benefit by joining a conference, but they've survived/thrived playing outside of a conference for over one hundred years.

I understand all of ND history but what if ND gets a BIG 12 pulled on them this year? While ND sits at home the conference championships will be playing and increasing computer rankings while ND sits idle.

(11-08-2015 01:54 AM)7thHeaven Wrote:  I understand all of ND history but what if ND gets a BIG 12 pulled on them this year? While ND sits at home the conference championships will be playing and increasing computer rankings while ND sits idle.

They have already made the decision, and reiterated it numerous times, that they can live with that. And they are the only party whose opinion matters on this issue.

I'd say it will take a time or two of ND having a good season, but with an ACC title win against a ranked opponent that they would have been assured a spot in the playoffs...and that would definitely be more than one time to have to occur.....if infact that were to happen I think you could see it happen. If they were in the Coastal at 11-1 twice ranked in the 6-8 range and would play a top 10 team from the Atlantic for the ACC championship that could propel them in......quiet possibly this year could be year 1 of that happening.

I just consider ND an ACC team. They just play 5 conference games instead of 8 and don't get to play in the conference championship game. They are for all practical purposes an ACC team.

If Clemson, an ACC football conference member, loses a game from here on out, are they still guaranteed a playoff spot?

If not, what benefit is conference membership to Clemson in that scenario??

(I understand the whole CCG issue).

In ND's case, is that potential 13th game every so often worth throwing out the baby with 127 years of bath water?

Is it, if it leaves the Big 12 or ND out of the playoffs? College football is about money and if something keeps you out of the playoffs, that sure is a lot of money. I honestly think if the Big 12 is left out again they will either expand or schools will start talking to other conferences. If ND gets left out of the playoffs they will not do nothing. The only thing that could change this is to expand the playoffs past 4 schools.

(11-08-2015 10:03 PM)TerryD Wrote:  If Clemson, an ACC football conference member, loses a game from here on out, are they still guaranteed a playoff spot?

If not, what benefit is conference membership to Clemson in that scenario??

(I understand the whole CCG issue).

In ND's case, is that potential 13th game every so often worth throwing out the baby with 127 years of bath water?

That must be some stinky bath water by now... time to change it!

I think it will be interesting if ND ends up 11-1, and #5 and on the outside, when they could have been playing a rematch with Clemson for practically an assured spot.

Not that any one single scenario will change things at ND overnight, but if that happens too often, there's going to be some consideration over time whether they are too handicapped by independence.

Of course, even if they are, will enough people care. Some would rather never make the playoffs than give up independence, and that's their right.

There's nothing the ACC can or should do at this point to grease the wheels.

(11-08-2015 10:03 PM)TerryD Wrote:  If Clemson, an ACC football conference member, loses a game from here on out, are they still guaranteed a playoff spot?

If not, what benefit is conference membership to Clemson in that scenario??

(I understand the whole CCG issue).

In ND's case, is that potential 13th game every so often worth throwing out the baby with 127 years of bath water?

In that scenario Clemson only problems are South Carolina being way down this year, the loss coming late in the season & FSU losing to GT. Still though they would have wins over FSU (possibly top 10 if they beat Fla), ND & the ACCCG would give them another opportunity against a top 20 team (NC if they win out?). That's could be an opportunity that could put them back in, given what happens elsewhere, & that is an opportunity that ND doesn't get. Even the Big 12 can put a CC designation by their name & jump ND.

(11-09-2015 10:03 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  I think it will be interesting if ND ends up 11-1, and #5 and on the outside, when they could have been playing a rematch with Clemson for practically an assured spot.

Not that any one single scenario will change things at ND overnight, but if that happens too often, there's going to be some consideration over time whether they are too handicapped by independence.

Of course, even if they are, will enough people care. Some would rather never make the playoffs than give up independence, and that's their right.

There's nothing the ACC can or should do at this point to grease the wheels.

They would end up #5 this year .... THE year where they aren't eligible for the OB.
#ACCLuck

I don't think there's any conceivable way that an 11-1 Notre Dame team, with wins over USC and Stanford among others, would be left out of the college football playoff. I think that is complete wishful thinking on the part of Irish haters.

(11-09-2015 11:44 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  I don't think there's any conceivable way that an 11-1 Notre Dame team, with wins over USC and Stanford among others, would be left out of the college football playoff. I think that is complete wishful thinking on the part of Irish haters.

It's not that hard to conceive. If Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State all win out, they're ahead of ND.

So it will be ND vs. B12 champion. ND will likely have a win over Stanford, and will be hoping that Temple and/or Navy will be able to hang around in the rankings, or USC climbs in. Very possible ND has 1 or 2 wins over a top 25 team.

I think it would be up to whether the losers of the Big 12 hang in the Top 25, and whether their champ goes undefeated. If OSU or Baylor go undefeated, and have 3 top 25 wins to 1-2 for ND, the Big 12 will get the nod I think.

It also will matter how much the conference rewards a conference championship if it's won without a championship game. Supposedly they will, which should already put ND at a -1, but we'll see in practice.

Obviously, plenty of things can still happen, and I think ND is pretty well positioned, but they certainly aren't in yet.

I'm not trying to hate, I like ND. With the polls out and ND creeping up its a scenario that could open the eyes of the administration if they are left out. The playoffs are different than the BCS. I think either one of two things could happen, ND finally joins a conference or ND pushes really hard for there to be more playoff spots. TCU last year thought they were a lock also.

IMO, you're 100x more likely to see Notre Dame get behind a movement to expand the CFP to 6 or 8 teams than you are to see the Irish even seriously consider full ACC membership.

The quality WINS that might propel Notre Dame into the CFP this year are @Stanford, @Temple, Navy, and USC - not Virginia, Georgia Tech, Pitt, Wake, and Boston College.

(11-08-2015 11:05 PM)7thHeaven Wrote:  Is it, if it leaves the Big 12 or ND out of the playoffs? College football is about money and if something keeps you out of the playoffs, that sure is a lot of money. I honestly think if the Big 12 is left out again they will either expand or schools will start talking to other conferences. If ND gets left out of the playoffs they will not do nothing. The only thing that could change this is to expand the playoffs past 4 schools.

Expanding the playoffs past 4 will affect the regular season a lot more than going from 2 to 4 did. Think about things right now, you have fans across the country are watching Big 12 games hoping all the favorites lose, hoping Clemson will choke, and hoping we get a 2 loss SEC Champion. Winning your conference alone isn't enough unless you are perfect so from day 1, everyone across the country knows that games involving top teams across the country matters.

The day we get an 8 team playoff, a lot of attention will be lost as the focal point will very much become winning your own conference and this will make the sport far more regional again (similar to college basketball during the regular season). There will still be 3 at large teams, but who gets in at #8 will matter a lot less than who gets in at #4 to most people and winning your conference will be the way most are looking to get in.

Edit: Beyond that, the bowls have value as stand-alone entities. Playoff creep will slowly erode the idea that bowls are things worth going to (and not just the NIT to the NCAA Tournament).

Everyone who agreed to making the bowls semi-finals knew their teams wouldn't make it in some years. It will happen and suck when it is you, but the system is better for being small.