Notre Dame’s partial membership in the ACC has had benefits for parties. The Irish have a home for their Olympic sports and can maintain their football independence. The ACC gets increased home football ticket sales and TV ratings when they play Notre Dame. The agreement also allowed the ACC to get more favorable bowl agreements.
Let’s be honest though, Notre Dame never really feels part of the ACC, but there has been a handful of times when Notre Dame did feel like a true part of the conference.
Here are those 5 times
Notre Dame baseball reaches the CWS, after defeating #1 Tennessee – 2022
There are 8 teams in the CWS, and 1 of them is from the ACC. That’s Notre Dame. Tennessee was generally regarded as one of the best teams ever assembled, but also one of the most disliked nationally due to their on-field antics. There weren’t many ACC fans that didn’t want to see the Irish put away the Vols, and hey they are the lone ACC representative in the CWS. Make no mistake Notre Dame baseball got better playing in a league as good as the ACC.
Notre Dame Football in 2020
2020 was the year the Notre Dame football played a full ACC schedule, as the conference bailed out the Irish after the independent portion of Notre Dame’s schedule fell apart. The regular-season game between Clemson and Notre Dame was the college football regular-season game of the year, and the ACC Championship between Clemson and Notre Dame drew massive ratings. That season the ACC reaped the rewards of having two teams in the College Football playoff – well that was until the games were played, but that is something else all together.
Notre Dame Men’s Basketball in 2015
I remember this as one of the first times, Notre Dame felt like an ACC member. The ACC put 5 teams in the Sweet 16, and 3 in the Elite 8, including Notre Dame in both games. The Irish then face an undefeated Kentucky team in the Elite 8 and lost 68-66 proving that Wildcat team was mortal before they lost in the next round. It was a great NCAA tournament for the ACC, and Notre Dame really did feel like they were part of that.
Notre Dame Men’s Basketball in 2022
ACC men’s basketball was completely maligned by the national media in 2021-2022. The Irish won 15 ACC games and barely made the field. The tournament turned out to be a major statement for the ACC, as the conference dominated with a sterling 14-5 record. Notre Dame had their role reaching the round of 32 after beating Rutgers and upsetting Alabama before losing a tough round of 32 game to Texas Tech.
Notre Dame Women’s Basketball National Title 2018
Since 2013 the ACC has been a national champion in every major sport – football, men’s basketball, baseball, softball, and women’s basketball. Who’s the ACC National Champion in women’s basketball? Notre Dame in 2018. There were coached by the legendary Muffett McGraw. Notre Dame had long been one of the strongest women’s basketball programs in the country, and they instantly helped elevate women’s basketball in the ACC. Muffett McGraw is now a staple of the ACC Network’s women’s basketball coverage.
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