Seanbo, you reflected on an implication that may be the extended strategy of the major conferences.
When the big conferences were negotiating the playoff-format & formally dropping the BCS label, they did have some differences of opinion, but reached an agreement. They purposefully, did not show any outward signs of trying to "freeze out/constrain" Notre Dame, thus avoiding another issue that could de-rail the negotiations for a play-off. Notre Dame, as with the BCS, had a special seat at the table. ND AD Swarbrick was picked to deliver the "announcement" of an agreement on behalf of the full group---all others being Commissioners. This was done, we assume, not to showcase one particular Commissioner as being the spokesperson for the group.
With the format largely settled, then the conferences shall focus on mazimizing their respective bowl placements per the new system. If Notre Dame knocks out a school in playoff/bowl placement when ND looks less deserving, that's certain revenue and exposure the affected school and conference loses. Also, Notre Dame's assured "cuts" will enter future debates, but the group largely deferred actions on all disbursement details until after settling on the format.

So it hasn't been totally worked out how the bowl "invitations" will work. but as of right now, there are 3 "contract bowls" with 5 of the 6 slots spoken for, and one opening still left in the Orange Bowl.

There will be 3 other bowls, and 4 of those 6 slots go to the semi-finalists (as selected by committee), and then there should be 2 other slots for at-large teams (presumably as selected by committee),
that perhaps are the highest ranked teams NOT in the semi-finals and not invited to a contract bowl.

This gets futher complicated, if and when the Rose, Orange, or Champs (wherever that ends up) hosts a semi-final.
Would the other 3 games (say, Sugar, Cotton, Fiesta) then become a contract bowl with a contractual pairing ?

I'm thinking that perhaps the Rose and Fiesta might be paired, and 2 other pairings created.
Then IF the Rose wishes to host a semi-final (and they may NOT wish to do so, as their take from their ESPN contract might be better with the PAC-B1G game),
the PAC-B1G game could move to the Fiesta.

It seems like an at-large vs. at-large game will be floating around the 3 non-contract bowls. That would presumably be seeded by the committee.

The committee of conference Pooh-bahs was to meet [this week ?] and start determining some of this stuff ...
Open bids for the Champs Bowl and assign a location.
Solicit bids for the other bowls that wish to host semi-finals and at-large match-up.
Figure out which bowls host semi-finals which years.
Determine the make-up of the selection committee.

I think one of Freaked's articles described all this and said they want to have it all sorted out by next June, which gives them 1-1/2 years prior to the first games
New Years 2015.

Notre Dame to ACC for all but FB (remaining independent, but agreeing to 5 ACC FB opponents per year) and Hockey (just joined Hockey East).

Offical announcements expected this afternoon.

Links to the story on the ACC thread.....

Quinn we can close this thread now.

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BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

Ha, many would wish. But as long as they are a non-football member, the speculation will live on.

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the acc board will cover that, if they ever go conf fb it will be in the ACC. Everyone else is off the table

_________________

WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

BE MB thread discussing remarks by ND AD regarding today's ND non-FB sports to ACC announcement at http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=587299

Brett McMurphy article(previously posted in another thread)reporting that the Orange Bowl is finalizing ACC opponents starting in 2014 that will include ND or schools from the Big Ten or SEC.Unclear when the announcement will be made.Link at http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... range-bowl

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/notre-dame ... ncaaf.html

ND cancels games vs Michigan in 2015-2017. I guess with 5 ACC opponents, Stanford, USC, and Navy, ND wants to keep those remaining four games as open as possible.

Watch them start backing out of (or tapering back on) the series with Purdue and Michigan State next....

If / when we see that happening, I think it is a signal that they are clearing more of their schedule for ACC opponents #6 ,7, 8.
that would then allow Notre Dame to become a full FB-playing member of the ACC...

Not saying this will DEFINITELY happen, but the cancellation of the Michigan series makes it look as thoughNotre Dame is heading in that direction.

For as much as I dislike Michigan, given the history, Michigan is the most disposable. Zero commitment over the years to keep this game an annual thing, whereas others prioritized it (like Stanford).

I agree, though, about them dropping Michigan State and Purdue. Yet, if any of these are dropped before Stanford, I suspect there's something else going on that will only add to the sad-sack victim story that is "Notre Dame and how the Big Ten hates us."

To be fair to the Irish, considering they annually schedule within the top 25 of SoS, NOBODY will be playing the schedule Notre Dame is playing once they get this 5'er going. When Navy or Purdue becomes one of your softest games, you're not doing something right.

The series I watch with interest now are those with Pitt and BC. Do those remain automatics, or will these teams and/or ND defer to the ACC in rotation?

Yeah, it appears that way. ND could make it work especially if they can work it out where their divisional opponents were old rivals like BC, Pitt, and Miami. Make it so they technically play an ACC schedule, but keep many of their old rivalries.

First I would pair off every team:
FSU-Miami
Clemson-GT
UNC-NCST
Duke-WF
VT-UVA
MD-BC
Syracuse-Pitt
UConn-ND

ND would probably want their division to be as many of their old rivals as possible. The four they have the most history with are GT, Miami, BC, and Pitt so there are the first four. ND should develop a rivalry with either Duke or WF and I believe they have some history with WF. NCST is the N. Carolina school that is paired with them now so they would be this division as well. I would keep UVA and VT together in one division as they are now which means one more school is needed. It's definitely between Syracuse and Maryland. I would say slide Syracuse into ND's division and then pair up the two Virginia schools with Pitt and Cuse.

To answer your question, it certainly appears that Pitt and BC will assume a spot in the rotation.

Pitt and BC are Notre Dame rivals, but they have not faced off EVERY year. There have been series of 2 and 4 game contracts with gaps, I believe.

Notre Dame has contracted to play the other 14 ACC teams on a basis of facing everyone in a 3 year period + 1 to give 5 ACC games per year.
If Notre Dame were to play BC and Pitt every year on top of rotating the other 12 schools every 3 years, that would be 6 ACC opponents per year.
They could do this theoretically, but would then be down to 6 OOC games (3 of which being Navy, USC, Stanford).

Since Notre Dame is not a FB memberof BE, their negotiated departure from BE Oly sports is independent from transitioning their FB schedule to 5 ACC games per year.
For sake of argument, assume Notre Dame moves to ACC on July 1, 2014. They will then be cancelling some football contracts with schools other than Navy, USC, and Stanford
for games in fall 2014 and beyond. Existing contracts with ACC schools (Pitt, BC, maybe Maryland, others...) will likely be converted to the every 3 years rotation plan.
That re-scheduling effort is likely to be taking place as we speak.

ESPN article with comments from ND AD regarding early exit negotiation situation with the BE at http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... -swarbrick

It looks like BC and Pitt will play ND every third year, as will the other 12. Albeit, they may assume preferred status by playing in the first year, similar to the NFL scheduling old rivals (Ariz-Dall, Denv-Sea) in the first year after the 2002 realignment.