Miami-Notre Dame rematch gaining traction as 2020 ACC football scenarios take shape
The Atlantic Coast Conference is expected to wait until next week to publicly reveal its format and possible starting dates for the 2020 football season, but it appears the possibility of a Miami-Notre Dame rematch could be four years sooner than originally scheduled.
One thing is clear: The ACC, whose commissioner John Swofford said two weeks ago that the conference would decide a 2020 plan in late July, plans to have a football season despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Other Power 5 conferences have released their initial plan and one particular ACC scenario has generated steam in several national reports.
It appears that no matter what scenario the ACC chooses, Notre Dame likely will be part of an expanded scheduling partnership.
One widely reported option, first revealed by @wilnerhotline, could be playing 10 games against ACC competition and one game against another opponent — likely from a Power 5 league such as the Southeastern Conference to preserve longstanding rivalries such as Florida-Florida State. That scenario could have Notre Dame, which belongs to the ACC in every sport except football, count in the ACC standings for this season. Notre Dame would then be allowed to play in the ACC championship game in that scenario, first reported by David Teel of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Possible ACC roadblock
But there are multiple scenarios being discussed, and one potential roadblock would be if the ACC presidents, who are scheduled to meet Wednesday, chose not to allow Notre Dame to take one of the usual two league spots in the ACC championship game. Even if that were to happen, the league and Notre Dame still could add three or four ACC opponents to the six the Irish were already set to play in 2020.
Notre Dame has already lost previously scheduled 2020 games against Stanford, USC and Wisconsin.
Another hurdle for Notre Dame scenarios, according to the Associated Press, would be how revenue sharing would work, given that Notre Dame has its own television agreement with NBC.
ACC presidents must approve
ACC school presidents would have to approve any format changes.
The Big-10 and Pac-12 already announced they are only playing conference games, and the Big 12 and SEC, like the ACC, are expected to reveal their plans soon.
The last time UM played Notre Dame was Nov. 11, 2017, when the No. 6 Hurricanes humiliated the No. 3 Fighting Irish 41-8 at Hard Rock Stadium. The victory, preceded by ESPN’s College GameDay appearance on campus, still stands as UM’s brightest, most dominant victory over a national power in several years.
Miami athletic director Blake James told the Miami Herald by email earlier this month that “if the opportunity for a match up with ND is presented, we would be thrilled to have that game added to our 2020 schedule.’’
UM-Irish future
Currently, the next time UM is scheduled to play the Fighting Irish is in 2024 in South Bend, Indiana, followed by the Irish at Miami in 2025.
The Irish finished 11-2 in 2019. Miami finished 6-7. The Hurricanes, currently participating in daily workouts, for now can begin fall camp Aug. 7. But that date, like almost everything else surrounding college football, is tenuous.
The Hurricanes might have to drop three remaining nonconference games that were set to begin the season: Sept. 5 at home against Temple, Sept. 12 at home against Wagner and Sept. 17 at home against UAB. The Michigan State game, originally scheduled for Sept. 26, was already scratched from the schedule after the Big 10 previously announced its own all-league schedule.
This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 5:15 PM.
