New ACC commissioner Jim Phillips is making the case for Notre Dame to join the conference as a permanent football member.
Jim Phillips’ new gig as ACC commissioner could be defined by what happens between the conference and Notre Dame.
So it’s not a surprise he’s pushing pretty hard for the Irish to join his conference.
During ACC Media Day on Wednesday, Phillips actively campaigned for Notre Dame to stick around as a football member after joining temporarily for the 2020 season.
“They know the ACC’s interest,” Phillips said, according to Steve Reed of the AP. “It’s been less than bashful. It’s been less than bashful since I’ve been here.”
The ACC is actively courting Notre Dame as a full member
Phillips added that he’s concentrated on the 14 schools currently in the conference, but it’s no secret the Irish will be a major target to strengthen the football brand. That’s especially true as Texas and Oklahoma reportedly push to move to the SEC to form a super-conference.
The ACC hopes Notre Dame’s 2020 experience does the convincing.
“They had a chance to play a fantastic schedule,” Phillips said. “They had a chance to vie for a national championship and compete in the CFP. We have a real-life example of what that could look like.”
Notre Dame has competed for national titles without the ACC. They made it into the BCS National Championship Game in 2012. However, they have not made a College Football Playoff appearance. Their path there could be complicated further by expansion and automatic bids for conference title winners.
The Irish may very well continue to cling to their independence. The college football landscape is going to move forward with or without them.
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