As one of the last three independent teams in FBS football, Notre Dame took a distinct route to the College Football Playoff semifinal compared to its Orange Bowl opponent, Penn State.
The Fighting Irish earned their CFP spot as an at-large team, and being independent, they were not required to participate in a conference championship. In contrast, the Nittany Lions made it to the Big Ten championship and entered the playoff as the No. 6 seed.
Penn State head coach James Franklin acknowledged this difference during a joint press conference on Wednesday. When asked about the challenges of the longer season in the context of the expanded playoff, Franklin took the opportunity to highlight the contrasting paths of the two teams. He then suggested that every team should belong to a conference, making the point while Freeman, the Notre Dame coach, was present.
“I believe there should be consistency across college football,” Franklin stated. “This isn’t a critique of (Freeman) or Notre Dame, but I think all teams should be in a conference. Every team should play in a conference championship game, or none should. Everyone should have the same number of conference games.”
Notre Dame’s independence was mentioned again during the press conference. Franklin, while discussing the matchup with the Fighting Irish, said the Orange Bowl was about “representing our schools and our conferences,” but quickly corrected himself, saying, “Excuse me, our own conference.”
In most other sports, Notre Dame competes in the ACC, although its hockey program plays in the Big Ten. The football team, however, has a scheduling agreement with the ACC, established in 2014 and lasting through 2036, which requires Notre Dame to play five ACC teams each season.
Meanwhile, Big Ten teams, including Penn State, must play nine conference games. The Big 12 also schedules nine, while the SEC and ACC play eight. Notre Dame enjoys more flexibility with its remaining schedule, a benefit other teams don’t have, while still earning revenue comparable to that of Big Ten or SEC schools through its NBC TV deal.
Notre Dame is not rushing to change its independent status. In May 2024, athletic director Pete Bevacqua stated that the school feels “more secure than ever” in its position. Freeman also expressed his support for the independent model during the press conference, emphasizing that the team views it as a positive aspect. “We sell it to recruits and players as a positive,” Freeman said. “We know we can’t play in a conference championship game or earn a first-round bye, but we treat our Week 13 off as our bye.”
Franklin later explained that his call for uniformity aims to simplify the selection process for the CFP committee.
The Fighting Irish and Nittany Lions will face off at Hard Rock Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
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