What If Notre Dame Plays An ACC Only Season?

With Covid-19 still around, College Football looks like it is headed for conference only play this season to limit travel throughout the year. Although it is far away, this could be a real solution for College Basketball as well.

Unlike CFB Notre Dame is solidified in the ACC, and if they did go to conference only there wouldn't be any complications. The ACC schedule consists of 20 games. This year Notre Dame would play Boston College, Georgia Tech, Duke, Miami, Virginia, and Virginia Tech twice. Clemson, FSU, NC State, and Wake Forest would only come to South Bend, and finally ND would play Louisville, UNC, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse away only.

The Ivy League has already announced no sports until January 1st for them which would pretty much eliminate all non-conference games this year for Ivy League teams. This year ND has a competitive non-conference schedule including Kentucky, Purdue, Howard, and the Legends Classic Tourney. Eliminating these games would emphasize the importance of ACC wins which last year the Irish finished 10-10. However, Notre Dame lost 7 ACC games by 5 points or less.

ACC play this year started at the beginning of the season with all teams playing a ACC opener, and then taking a break until January. The ACC could just push all games back until after January 1st and play a 20 game confernce schedule. This would mean NO College Basketball until 2021 which seems a little weird to think about. One scenario could be 20 game ACC only season, ACC Tourney, March Madness with a smallef field.

Whatever happens with this years College Basketball season our Irish are going to be prepared as they are going to campus the first week of August. Hopefully the season stays the same so we can get our revenge on Kentucky! Go Irish!