By Jay Berry
The discussions about conference realignment have yet to quiet down, and Notre Dame is one of the programs being talked about again.
There are rumors of the Irish moving to the Big Ten after previous unsuccessful conversations with the conference, along with new Big 12 rumors.
However, according to Sports Illustrated, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua has stated that the school will not join a conference in football despite speculation that this may happen.
Although the Notre Dame football program is independent, the Fighting Irish have an agreement with the ACC to play five games per year against ACC opponents. The Fighting Irish have not been part of a conference since 1887, except for the 2020 season when they played 10 ACC games. However, continued realignment moves and the expanded College Football Playoff may force ND to rethink its independent status.
Why The Big Ten Makes Sense
There are several reasons why Notre Dame and the Big Ten would be an excellent match for college football fans, including the opportunity to reignite epic rivalries with many of the current Big Ten programs.
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Joining the Big Ten would mean that Notre Dame could face off against old rivals like Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, USC, Penn State and Purdue more regularly. The Big Ten is the best cultural fit for Notre Dame among all the major conferences.
Joining the Big Ten would also allow Notre Dame to remain competitive in the changing landscape of college football. Notre Dame’s NBC contract runs through 2029. It will pay around $50 million a year from NBC in addition to ACC revenue. Last year, ND received $22 million from ACC TV revenue. The Big 10’s revenue share is said to be somewhere around $75 million.
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Epic Rivalries
Notre Dame has historical rivalries with Big Ten members USC, Michigan State (Megaphone Rivalry), Michigan, Purdue, Penn State and Ohio State. The rivalry with Ohio State dates back to 1935, although the teams have only played seven times, including a last-second 17-14 Buckeyes win last season. The atmosphere during their games is epic, making it an intense scheduled matchup for the conference, even if it’s rotated every other year.
USC
The USC rivalry dates back to December 4, 1926, when Notre Dame defeated USC 13-12 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Notre Dame leads the series 49–37–5. They have played each other every year since then except during World War II. The rivalry features epic moments like the 1988 game, in which No. 1 Notre Dame defeated No. 2 USC. There’s also the 1989 matchup – the Tunnel Brawl game. The teams got into a shoving match in the tunnel before the game. Notre Dame entered the game with an 18-game winning streak and won 28-24.
Let’s not forget the Bush Push. Instead of kicking the field goal to force overtime, the Trojans went for it. After Matt Leinart appeared to be stopped, Reggie Bush pushed him into the end zone. It gave USC the win in the final seconds and put them in what would be a legendary BCS national championship game against Texas.
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Michigan State The Megaphone Rivalry
This rivalry was recently announced as being renewed for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, but let’s take a look at a few of the epic moments.
The megaphone rivalry dates back to 1897, and in their 79 meetings the Irish lead the series 49-29-1. There’s the 2010 “Little Giants” play when Michigan State faked the field goal in overtime to score the game-winning touchdown.
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The 2005 season saw the Flag Spike game. After No. 10 Notre Dame erased a 21-point deficit in regulation, MSU tailback Jason Teague took an option pitch from quarterback Drew Stanton and scampered 19 yards down the sideline for a 44-41 overtime victory in South Bend.
What happened next infuriated the Notre Dame home crowd as Michigan State players spiked their flag into midfield. There’s also The Game of the Century, a 10-10 tie between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan State on November 19, 1966.
Michigan
The Wolverines and Irish have played each other 44 times since 1887.
Michigan leads the all-time series 24-17-1. The last meeting was in 2019 – a 45-14 Wolverine victory. These two aren’t scheduled to play each other for another nine years, with a home-and-home series in 2033 and 2034. It would be epic for college football to have these programs play more regularly.
Some memorable moments include the 1991 game when Desmond Howard made an iconic diving catch in the end zone. That fourth-down play gave Michigan a 21-14 lead and they would go on to win 24-14.
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In 2012, Notre Dame announced that it would not extend the rivalry after the 2014 season. Michigan defeated Notre Dame 41-30 in that 2012 game. After the game, the Michigan Stadium speakers played the Chicken Dance song.
The 1986 game was Lou Holtz’s first season at Notre Dame. The Irish never punted, gained 455 yards of total offense, and would miss the last-second field goal to lose 24-23.
Penn State
The rivalry between the Irish and Nittany Lions began in 1913. They played annually from 1981 to 1992, with Penn State winning eight of those games. They have only faced each other 19 times, with their most recent matchup taking place in 2007, ending in a 31-10 victory for Penn State. Both Penn State and Notre Dame boast legendary college football programs, which would undoubtedly create more memorable moments and energetic environments for college football fans to savor.
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Purdue
Although Purdue is not a football powerhouse, it’s another example of Notre Dame football’s legendary history with the Big Ten conference.
Notre Dame has a long-standing rivalry with Purdue, dating back to 1896. Until 1956, they competed for the Shillelagh Trophy and have played 87 times. Currently Notre Dame leads the series with 57-26-2. The two teams will face off this season on September 19 at Purdue.
If Notre Dame does join a conference, the Big Ten is the only one that makes sense.
