Here is a good read from the Syracuse AD John Wildhack on topics ranging from Syracuse football scheduling, Notre Dame and the ACC, and Divisional Realignment.
The entire article can be at Syracuse.com
Regarding the Notre Dame and the Divisional Realignment, here’s what Wildhack had to say.
Division realignment. Will it ever happen?
Wildhack: “I don’t anticipate it. You need a majority decision. I have not received any calls from athletic directors in the other division asking me if I want to swap.
Is the best bet if Notre Dame has to join the league?
Wildhack: “I think Notre Dame joining for football, for me, that’s off the table.”
That might upset a lot of people.
Wildhack: “That’s the reality of it. I think when the ACC made the agreement to bring Notre Dame in as a member, I think the ACC accepeted Notre Dame knowing Notre Dame is going to retain their independence for football. Kind of the middle ground was play five ACC teams per year, which is what they do and why they show up on our rotation.”
The current divisions have never bothered me. Once the they were set, I wasn’t a fan trying to manufacture rivalries or competitive balance. I’ve said before on this blog one of the biggest mistakes the ACC ever made was putting the ACC Championship football games in Florida hoping for epic FSU \ Miami games. I’m not against moving teams. I just don’t think it is a necessity. It doesn’t look like its on the table either.
As far as Notre Dame goes, I still believe you’ll see the Irish in the ACC one day. That time might be 5, 10 or maybe more years than that away. At one time, the ACC may have really needed the Irish to join the conference in football. That’s not the case anymore. The conference doesn’t need Notre Dame anymore. The ACC stands on it’s own as a premier football conference. In fact the Irish needs the ACC more so than the other way around. The 5 game scheduling benefits everyone. Should the Irish decide to join one day, the ACC will take them. That doesn’t seem like it’s in the near future though.
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