Rittenberg's Blog explores ND Question

troy

Well-Known Member
Big Ten Friday mailblog - Big Ten Blog - ESPN

I enjoyed reading Rittenberg's response to the 2nd question regarding Notre Dame. Rittenberg's answer seems to mirror Miller and Deace's discussion points about how the Big Ten has gained negotiating power in recent years. This has been an ongoing topic on their radio show. Another interesting point that has been brought up repeatedly on the show was regarding ND's scheduling of Purdue, Michigan, and Michigan State. If ND doesn't join the new Big Ten, will they be able to schedule traditional Big Ten rivals? This is going to get interesting!
 
Last edited:
If the Big 10 schools refuse to play ND they will have no problem finding games to fill the schedule.

Notre Dame and Miami to resume football series in 2012 - CFB News - FOX Sports on MSN

If/when there are the 4 superconferences, ND will have a hard time if they are not in a conference. Teams from the Big 4 won't want to schedule quality OOC opponents, because their conference slates will be tough enough. The SEC already does this. If the ACC were a 16-team league, Miami wouldn't be renewing a series. And if they expand, expect the series to be dropped shortly thereafter.
 
And conferences like the Big Ten will go to 9 game conference schedules which leaves room for one quality opponent and two cupcakes...ND's schedule will be full of Western Michigans(who they play this year) after October starts.
Look at their schedule this year...after the big ten teams, it gets real mediocre...army,western michigan..
 
And conferences like the Big Ten will go to 9 game conference schedules which leaves room for one quality opponent and two cupcakes...ND's schedule will be full of Western Michigans(who they play this year) after October starts.
Look at their schedule this year...after the big ten teams, it gets real mediocre...army,western michigan..

Good point! Would this give Iowa the green light to drop ISU from the schedule?:)
 
Brian Kelly (ND coach) wants no part of the B10.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish's football independence embraced by Brian Kelly - ESPN Chicago

Who cam blame him? Playing 3 B10 teams is plenty for him. After the B10 teams they play every year their schedule always gets way easier. Can you see him wanting to play the likes of Iowa, Penn St, Wisconsin, Nebraska, even NW and Indiana would be far better than the rest of their cupcake menu.

Tell me you wouldn't rather have this schedule this year:

2010 Notre Dame Football Schedule
Sept. 4 PURDUE
Sept. 11 MICHIGAN
Sept. 18 at Michigan State
Sept. 25 STANFORD
Oct. 2 at Boston College
Oct. 9 PITTSBURGH
Oct. 16 WESTERN MICHIGAN
Oct. 23 at Navy (at Meadowlands - East Rutherford, N.J.)
Oct. 30 TULSA
Nov. 6 Open Date
Nov. 13 UTAH
Nov. 20 ARMY (at Yankee Stadium - Bronx, N.Y.)
Nov. 27 at USC

I'll bet that open date gets filled w/ a pushover too.

Yep, can't say as I blame Kelly for not wanting the B10 full time.
 
If the Big 10 schools refuse to play ND they will have no problem finding games to fill the schedule.

Notre Dame and Miami to resume football series in 2012 - CFB News - FOX Sports on MSN

ND might be able to fill their schedule, but they would not be able to fill the schedule with teams in their own backyard unless they go MAC. Big difference between travelling to LA, Palo Alto, Miami, Boston, New York, etc., and East Lansing, West Lafayette, and Ann Arbor.
 
Steve and I went though an exercise related to what an ND schedule could look like without the B10 schools.

USC
Boston College
Army
Navy
Air Force (unfortunately the Marines and Coast Guard do not field teams)
Stanford

There is six...

Miami now back in the mix...MAC team from the state of Ohio...directional state of Michigan MAC team...Oklahoma or Texas possibly...BYU would be an interesting clash...

They could put together a decent schedule is what we arrived at...but totally outside of the Midwest other than the MAC schools...

HOWEVER...one must take into consideration that not only the Big Ten will be changing, but so will several leagues...and they may not want to schedule an out of conference powerhouse, especially if the superleagues look to potentially schedule more in conference games.
 
And conferences like the Big Ten will go to 9 game conference schedules which leaves room for one quality opponent and two cupcakes...ND's schedule will be full of Western Michigans(who they play this year) after October starts.
Look at their schedule this year...after the big ten teams, it gets real mediocre...army,western michigan..

I wish the Big 10 would do this now, but I would take it a step further. Add a week to the season, and get rid of one non-conference game. That way you'd get a true round-robin.
 
If/when there are the 4 superconferences, ND will have a hard time if they are not in a conference. Teams from the Big 4 won't want to schedule quality OOC opponents, because their conference slates will be tough enough. The SEC already does this. If the ACC were a 16-team league, Miami wouldn't be renewing a series. And if they expand, expect the series to be dropped shortly thereafter.

But I have been reading for months that ND is irrelevant and a weak team.

Now they are a quality team that teams will be afraid to play?

C'mon guys, pick a side.
 
I wish the Big 10 would do this now, but I would take it a step further. Add a week to the season, and get rid of one non-conference game. That way you'd get a true round-robin.
I agree. I would like to see the Iowa State game eliminated from the schedule. The Hawks will have enough in-conference rivals to deal with if Mizzou and Nebraska are added.;)
 
Brian Kelly (ND coach) wants no part of the B10.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish's football independence embraced by Brian Kelly - ESPN Chicago

Who cam blame him? Playing 3 B10 teams is plenty for him. After the B10 teams they play every year their schedule always gets way easier. Can you see him wanting to play the likes of Iowa, Penn St, Wisconsin, Nebraska, even NW and Indiana would be far better than the rest of their cupcake menu.

Tell me you wouldn't rather have this schedule this year:

2010 Notre Dame Football Schedule
Sept. 4 PURDUE
Sept. 11 MICHIGAN
Sept. 18 at Michigan State
Sept. 25 STANFORD
Oct. 2 at Boston College
Oct. 9 PITTSBURGH
Oct. 16 WESTERN MICHIGAN
Oct. 23 at Navy (at Meadowlands - East Rutherford, N.J.)
Oct. 30 TULSA
Nov. 6 Open Date
Nov. 13 UTAH
Nov. 20 ARMY (at Yankee Stadium - Bronx, N.Y.)
Nov. 27 at USC

I'll bet that open date gets filled w/ a pushover too.

Yep, can't say as I blame Kelly for not wanting the B10 full time.
They won't fill the open date. They already have 12 games. That's not a terrible schedule. It's not awesome, but not bad.

Michigan State - bowl team (lost to Texas Tech)
Stanford - bowl team (lost to Oklahoma)
BC - bowl team (lost to USC)
Pitt - bowl team (beat North Carolina)
Navy - bowl team (beat Mizzou)
Utah - bowl team (beat Cal)
USC - bowl team (beat USC)
 
ND might be able to fill their schedule, but they would not be able to fill the schedule with teams in their own backyard unless they go MAC. Big difference between travelling to LA, Palo Alto, Miami, Boston, New York, etc., and East Lansing, West Lafayette, and Ann Arbor.
Travel means nothing to ND. They play Army in Orlando in 2011 (and 2014) and Navy in Dublin, Ireland in 2012. As someone said in another thread, the Pac 10 has 9 conference games yet 4 teams played ND last year (USC, Stanford, Wash, and Wash St - in San Antonio no less). Oklahoma is coming up on their schedule in 2012 and 2013. Miami is coming up as well. Wake Forest and Arizona State (one of these games is in Arlington, TX) are coming up too. There will be no shortage of teams to play ND in the future regardless of conference alignments.
 
Steve and I went though an exercise related to what an ND schedule could look like without the B10 schools.

USC
Boston College
Army
Navy
Air Force (unfortunately the Marines and Coast Guard do not field teams)
Stanford

There is six...

Miami now back in the mix...MAC team from the state of Ohio...directional state of Michigan MAC team...Oklahoma or Texas possibly...BYU would be an interesting clash...

They could put together a decent schedule is what we arrived at...but totally outside of the Midwest other than the MAC schools...

HOWEVER...one must take into consideration that not only the Big Ten will be changing, but so will several leagues...and they may not want to schedule an out of conference powerhouse, especially if the superleagues look to potentially schedule more in conference games.

The Big Ten seems to be giving Notre Dame every chance to jump on board, even to the point of highlighting "very clearly" what the Big Ten would look like with them, and without them. ND should be able to see the dominoes falling, but they are so proud of their independence, perhaps too proud! I never get tired of hearing news and perspectives about potential Big Ten expansion. There seems to be so many things going on behind the scenes. Maryland has been mentioned on your show. That would be an awesome get for the conference.
University of Maryland, College Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I wonder if West Virginia would be considered if Notre Dame says no. This is fun to follow...I will tune in next week in the a.m. for more insight.
 
Last edited:
Steve and I went though an exercise related to what an ND schedule could look like without the B10 schools.

USC
Boston College
Army
Navy
Air Force (unfortunately the Marines and Coast Guard do not field teams)
Stanford

There is six...

Miami now back in the mix...MAC team from the state of Ohio...directional state of Michigan MAC team...Oklahoma or Texas possibly...BYU would be an interesting clash...

They could put together a decent schedule is what we arrived at...but totally outside of the Midwest other than the MAC schools...

HOWEVER...one must take into consideration that not only the Big Ten will be changing, but so will several leagues...and they may not want to schedule an out of conference powerhouse, especially if the superleagues look to potentially schedule more in conference games.

Jon:

I tried to suck you in by starting the other Notre Dame thread, but no luck... You and Steve were the motivation for the post. I love the radio show, but think both of you are "seeing what you want to see" when it comes to Notre Dame.

I don't particularly care for the "starting premise is flawed" approach that Steve likes, but let me indulge. When he speaks of the Big Ten schools blackballing Notre Dame, it doesn't make sense. While HE may feel (or, he starts with the "premise") that Michigan is better off without a game against ND, he is obviously in the minority around Ann Arbor. The rivalry is very popular as evidenced by the renewal of the contract through 2031 and the (re-?) introduction of night games to Michigan Stadium against ND. This is to say nothing of Purdue and MSU, both of whom would be devastated to lose the ND game to play someone else.

I believe the moment the Big Ten blackballs Notre Dame, a PR nightmare will exist. Fans of the SEC, Pac 10, and whatever other conference(s) exist will scream at the soft non-conference schedules of the Big Ten (rightly or wrongly). They will not blame ND for the lack of games, but rather the Big Ten schools.

To combat this, the Big Ten schools will have to schedule quality non-conference schools. But guess who the Big Ten schools are competing against to secure these contracts? Notre Dame will, in most cases, have first pick of these games. People (eg, CAArHawk) on this board suggest ND will find it tougher playing out of region as opposed to games in Big Ten territory. Big Ten teams will find themselves in the same situation if they blackball ND.

Furthermore, unless the Big Ten goes to a 10 game schedule (which seems VERY unlikely), I don't accept the idea that fans will be satisfied with only cupcakes in the non-conference portion of the schedule. In a 9-game conference schedule, every other year schools like Purdue would have only four conference home games. PU fans won't accept 4 non-conference "directional" schools. In the end, some schools like Purdue will gladly schedule ND home-and-home, or be faced with out of region games as described above.

I just don't see things as black and white regarding the ND situation. From the Big Ten standpoint, I think it is true that the negotiation with ND is coming from a stronger place than in 1998. The Big Ten Network has resulted in Big Ten schools receiving as much, if not more, television money than ND. However, ND's desire to remain independent is worth many millions of dollars left on the table. Furthermore, ND has to know that even in the event of four 16-team superconferences, it can call up at the last minute and be joined in any one of them. This puts less urgency in today's negotiations, as we are a long way from four 16-team conferences.
 
Last edited:
Top