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Notre Dame earns $20 million payout by advancing to national championship as independent

Untitled design (2)by: Sam Gillenwater01/10/25samdg_33
Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman
Nathan Ray Seebeck | Imagn Images

Notre Dame has cashed in en route to the title game in the College Football Playoff.

Based on incentives within the CFP, the Fighting Irish have earned the maximum total of earnings of $20 million. Every dime of that is then theirs to take back to South Bend as an independent program.

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Making the College Football Playoff is worth $4 million, as is an opening-round win. Wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals are then worth $6 million apiece. So, for its first berth in the playoff in four years, as well as wins over Indiana, Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, and Penn State in the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame has added up to that purse of $20 million.

The specific perk for the Irish in this is then their status as an independent. All the other teams in the playoff are in leagues and, as such, have to split that money with their fellow members. Not Notre Dame, though.

Not too bad for a team that’s not in a conference, huh?

An appearance in the national championship or a win in it for Notre Dame would be priceless in comparison to what they’ve earned so far. Still, it’s a plus for them as they’ve earned every dollar that’s there to make for a school that’s part of the CFP.

Notre Dame defeats Penn State to advance to national title game of CFP

Notre Dame won the Orange Bowl last night over Penn State in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.

With a 41-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Fighting Irish won 27-24 and have made it to the national championship with it being the program’s first appearance in the game since 2012.