Who doesn't want to play Notre Dame on national television? What would Iowa State say if Notre Dame called them up for a home and away? No? They always have a competitive schedule and probably will continue to do so in the future.
They would say.... maybe in 2038, when we have an open schedule spot, or we already play 1 P4 level team in Iowa every year, we dont want to add another, until we can no longer play Iowa. (we havent played 2 P4 level noncons since we started playing 9 conference games, and I doubt we do unless some requirement changes.)
This is the problem for ND if the ACC implodes. Without those guaranteed games for the next several years, they will have a hard time filling out a schedule, when every school has there non con scheduled for close to a decade ahead, and with that they all have at least 1 p4 level game contracted for years to come.
So how can a team like Alabama or Ohio St or Michigan add them in the next few years, when they have contracts in place for years to come with other noncon teams, and their conference.
If the ACC does implode those games disappear with them. Those teams going to another conference will have the guaranteed conference games that come with it. So ND having games against FSU or Miami etc would be gone because those would become noncon games for them and they already have their noncons contracted regardless of what conference they are in. You are only allowed so many games. And of those teams rarely want to schedule multiple P4 teams. Everyone would love to play ND, as ther 1 P4 team, not so much if they already have 1 P4 on their schedule, even if they have an open spot for them to take.
We just changed out UNI next year but have to add it to the end of our contracted schedule, in what like 2031, because we have our schedule is booked until then. I doubt we want to change out SEMO with ND then play Iowa the next week. Alabama isnt changing out their Citadel game with ND, they dont even want 9 conference games. Would they play them any given year, sure, but only as their P4 game, they arent giving up their creampuff game to add them.
Who would be available for ND in 2025, 2026, etc. if the ACC dissolves? Who would still have an open date? No one in the SEC, No one in the B1G, No one in the Pac2, none of the ACC schools going to another conference. Hell probably not any G5s either.
Can some of those schools rearrange a few games? Possibly, but its not an easy, nor sure thing to get to work. Especially when ND needs to fill out 5,6,7+ games each year. They have a deal with the ACC simply because it had gotten harder to fill their schedule, because teams started playing more conference games and less noncon games. ND will have to be that 1 P4 game for many teams and they will have to replace those teams current scheduled P4 team for several years ahead. Not easy to do.
