Notre Dame’s football program has stood as one of the most unique brands in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). With their golden helmet, nationwide fan base, and longtime rivaleries, The Irish have exclusive NBC TV rights. The independence of their football has set them apart for decades.
But this causes multiple challenges in the scene of the College Football Playoff (CFP). Since a major conference realignment starting in 2021 and going through 2026, the Fighting Irish’s independence has gone from a historical honor to a competitive disadvantage. Through the years, Notre Dame has found it’s playing its opponents, but also fighting a system that favors teams with a conference membership. More than once, Notre Dame’s fans and players have seen their CFP chance disappear, not only because of losses, but because they don’t sit with the same teams in power conferences that are more dominant in the structure of the postseason playoffs.
One of the biggest challenges Notre Dame faces is that they are unable to compete in a conference championship. For teams in a conference to get a bye-week of the first round of the CFP, teams have to win a conference championship. The top 2 teams from each conference play, and the winner of each gets a byeweek and doesn’t have to play in the first round. Because of Notre Dame’s independence, there is no one for them to play since they aren’t in a conference. But to get a bye as an independent, Notre Dame would have to end their season as one of the top 4 teams in the country. After coming off losing in the National Championship to Ohio State last year, the Irish have pulled out of their bowl games this season, because Miami and Alabama were picked over them for the playoff for the 2025 CFP. The lack of late season proving ground has placed the Irish at the mercy of their own schedule.
As an independent, Notre Dame has the ability to play a national slate, which teams in a conference don’t have the ability to do. Being able to play on a national slate allows them to play teams like the University of Southern California, Navy, and Stanford, while also being able to compete against schools in conferences like the Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). But because of this, there is a chance Notre Dame can go through a full 13-14 game season without even playing a single ranked opponent. This is because of long term contracts that teams have to sign to play Notre Dame. If traditionally strong teams happen to be on a downward slope, Notre Dame’s strength in schedule suffers, even if the programs have historically elite teams. So, while their independence offers more freedom, it also exposes the Irish to schedule inconsistency, making it harder for them to build the reputation of a top four team.
Further, if any team within a conference loses a game, they are still able to make a conference title and continue through the CFP. Three of the top four seeds in the 2025 season have at least one loss, the one without a loss being Indiana with a record of 13-0. For Notre Dame, a loss in their regular season puts their CFP chance at a much higher risk. The bar for independents to go into the CFP is very high: they need to have a near perfect season. In past years, Notre Dame has needed either a near undefeated record or a single loss combined with a very strong schedule. Because they lack a conference champion, other teams have more opportunities to make up for their losses, making this much harder for Notre Dame. Even a single upset to an unranked team could destroy the Irish’s playoff hopes.
Their non-conference stance also impacts their revenue and recruiting. Notre Dame’s contract with NBC is valuable, but conference teams benefit from massive media deals that don’t compare to Notre Dame’s partnerships. Schools in the Big Ten and SEC can pull in tens of millions from their media deals annually. While Notre Dame finds ways to compensate, the financial power is driven more toward conference teams. On the recruiting side, some players prefer the ability to play for a conference title, benefit from the viability of playing against bigger names in the SEC and Big Ten, and prefer to be on a team that the CFP favors. These challenges are all derived from Notre Dame not being in a conference.
Notre Dame’s independence is powerful and traditional to the team, being an asset that sets them apart from other major programs. It gives them a flexible schedule and historic continuity that the team wants to continue. But when College Football Playoff season arrives, that independence has begun to become a disadvantage.
Without a conference championship, a guaranteed late season game to a ranked team, a small margin for error, and a playoff structure that doesn’t help independents. Notre Dame will have a harder time than most competitors. Unless the college football landscape shifts or Notre Dame joins a conference, the Fighting Irish may continue to fight an uphill battle on the road to the College Football Playoff.
