3 Reasons why Notre Dame Should Join a Conference in 2025 Season

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have been one of the top teams in college football. One of their biggest distinguishing traits is that they are one of the few independent college football programs, meaning they are not associated with a conference. However, there are reasons why this should change and the Fighting Irish should immediately join a college football conference.

Let's take a deeper dive into the reasons why they should forego their independent status.

Why Notre Dame should join a conference

3) CFP Seeding

In the 12-team College Football Playoff, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish cannot get a first-round bye or be in the first four seeds due to those being reserved for the four highest-ranked conference champions. This gives the Fighting Irish a competitive disadvantage as they need to win four games in the bracket to win the national championship.

This will be a lot better for the team going forward in being a competitor for national championships.

2) Play the Same Amount of Games

Currently, Notre Dame plays one fewer game than other elite programs as they are not eligible for a conference championship game. That means other teams that are atop their respective conferences are risking injuries. Penn State coach James Franklin made it known that he'd rather see Notre Dame join a conference.

"I think everybody should be in a conference. I think everybody should play a conference championship game or no one should play a conference championship game. I think everybody should play the same number of conference games." h/t York Daily Record

It is a little unfair but seeing the Fighting Irish part of a conference would make things more interesting.

1) More Money

At the end of the day, money is going to be a deciding factor. If Notre Dame was to get more revenue by joining a conference, it should do so. Currently, they have their own media rights deal, but getting a share of the Big Ten, ACC, SEC, or Big 12 Conference revenue as a football program could be better.

Taking millions of dollars by advancing in the College Football Playoff is one thing, but there are going to be down seasons where they cannot depend on that additional revenue. Joining a conference gives the program more ways to make money.