Notre Dame Feels 'Secure as Ever' in Independent Status amid CFB Realignment

While the SEC and Big Ten continue to load up on powerhouse programs and the college landscape dramatically shifts due to realignment, Notre Dame's new athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, told Heather Dinich of ESPN that the school feels "as secure as ever" in its independent status.

"We are now in as good of a position as we've ever been in the modern era of college football to be independent," he continued. "You see all the conference realignment, you see everything that's happened, I think our position as being independent in football quite frankly is certainly more unique than ever, but also more valuable than ever."

He cited a television deal with NBC, the new College Football Playoff deal—which reportedly will earn Notre Dame $12 million annually starting in 2026, per Dinich, a figure that would raise to $18 million in seasons they qualify for the CFP—and a partnership with the ACC for sports other than football and hockey as a reason for that security.

While the CFP deal won't pay Notre Dame as much as SEC and Big Ten programs (over $21 million per school), it has the possibility of exceeding ACC schools (over $13 million each) and Big 12 programs (over $12 million each).

Granted, the ACC appears to be in flux, with Clemson and Florida state suing the conference over the conference's grant of rights and exit fees. If those schools find a palatable means of departure, it's possible that North Carolina and Virginia could follow suit as attractive options for the SEC and Big Ten based on their geographical positioning and, in the case of UNC, its iconic basketball program and strong overall Olympic-sport offerings.

That would potentially alter the forecast for Notre Dame in other sports, though its status as an independent in football feels fairly viable though at least the six years of the new CFP deal starting in 2026.

"When you step back and look at the totality of those three elements—the NBC relationship, the ACC Network relationship and the CFP—we're in an incredibly strong position relative to the rest of the college sports world," Bevacqua noted.

And it remains "fundamentally important to Notre Dame to stay independent in football," he added, as the school attempts to maintain a national brand in the sport.