Newsstand: Why Greg McElroy said ‘Notre Dame is everyone’s No. 1’
Conference realignment talks are as quiet right now as they’ve been in the last handful of years. Teams like Texas and Oklahoma are soon settling into the SEC, and the likes of USC and Oregon are gearing up for their jump to the Big Ten. Notre Dame is independent, of course.
Much to the dismay of every major conference, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy said.
Not everyone is harping on which major dominoes will fall next as conferences seek more and more money by expanding their membership, but McElroy gave a little juice to the topic during the dog days of the offseason by mentioning the Fighting Irish on his podcast this week.
“The No. 1 team that they would target would be Notre Dame, Notre Dame by a mile,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “Notre Dame is everyone’s No. 1.”
The ACC wants the Irish. So do the Big Ten and SEC. Even in all the conference chaos, it hasn’t mattered. The Irish have done what they’ve needed to do — namely, secure contract extensions with NBC for TV right and Under Armour for apparel — to remain independent.
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Media types like McElroy are forever going to push the “Notre Dame to a conference” narrative. New athletics director Pete Bevacqua, though, echoed his predecessor, Jack Swarbrick, in instantly saying the Irish will fight for independence as long as they can. So far, so good on that front.
Notre Dame tweets of the day
The Texas Longhorns will face the Fighting Irish in South Bend in women’s basketball for the first time ever this December.
The Irish men’s basketball team, meanwhile, is heading to Athens, Ga., for the first time ever.
The Blue & Gold 2024 Notre Dame football preview magazine is on the cusp of hitting the printers.
Fighting Irish quote of the day
“I was complementing him on that journey to trust. That journey to confidence. That journey that he was on, which is really mind, body and spirit. It’s everything to get to the point where you’re playing with confidence and we’re trusting you.”
— Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden on senior defensive tackle Jason Onye
Blue & Gold headlines of the day
- Why NFL Draft expert is ‘excited to see’ Irish quarterback Riley Leonard
- Notre Dame men’s basketball Team Camp: What you need to know
- Top 100 LB recruit Madden Faraimo discusses Irish official visit with decision looming
- 80 days until Irish football: Now or never for Junior Tuihalamaka?
- Lucky Charms: Nation’s No. 1 safety in 2026 locks in Irish summer visit, more intel
- Father of elite WR recruit Derek Meadows details meaning behind upcoming Notre Dame visit
- Notre Dame eyeing NFL legacy, decorated LB recruit Jaxon Pyatt after Irish Invasion
- Notre Dame football hosts On300 recruits on unpublicized visits on back-to-back days
- What On3 director of rankings Charles Power said about Irish QB commit Deuce Knight winning OT7 MVP
- Notre Dame keeping close tabs on elite 2027 QB; offer watch?
