Marcus Freeman Gets Simple When Asked If Notre Dame Will Ever Join A Conference

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Marcus Freeman fielded yet another question about Notre Dame football's independent status.

The Fighting Irish have resisted joining a football conference amid frequent speculation. At this point, Freeman may be sick of discussing whether his program will ever make the move.

Taylor Lewan asked Freeman during a "Bussin' With The Boys" appearance if there are any ongoing conversations about Notre Dame joining a conference. Freeman sighed and asked, "Really?"

When Lewan noted the College Football Playoff ramifications, Freeman weighed the pros and cons of remaining independent.

"I think there’s advantages to being in a conference, and there’s advantages not being in a conference," Freeman said. "There’s a lot of positive things that trust me, nobody was complaining about when we made the Playoffs the year before."

Freeman ultimately thinks Notre Dame would align with a conference if the administration thought it would sway the school's CFP chances. However, the head coach wouldn't blame last season's omission on the Fighting Irish's independent standing.

"We lost two games and didn’t make the Playoffs," Freeman added. "So, if our administration ever feels like we are truly at a competitive disadvantage by not being in a conference, I’m sure we’ll join a conference. But we just shouldn’t have lost two games. Simple as that."

Notre Dame can now earn automatic CFP bid

By not being part of a Power Four conference, Notre Dame has missed the opportunity to automatically qualify for the CFP by winning the conference title. The highest-ranked Group of Six team also receives a spot before the selection committee awards seven at-large bids.

None of them went to Notre Dame, which placed No. 11 in last season's final CFP poll after a 10-2 campaign. That situation won't happen again, as a new rule allows the Fighting Irish to receive an automatic bid if they rank among the top 12 teams.

As a result, Notre Dame may not feel as compelled to consider the conference path. Staying independent also allows the program to maintain a more favorable schedule than the typical SEC or Big Ten member.

This story was originally published by The Spun on Apr 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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