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Newsstand: SEC nine-game schedule good for Notre Dame independence, per Heather Dinich

IMG_9992by: Tyler Horka08/22/25tbhorka
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Notre Dame director of athletics Pete Bevacqua. (Photo by Mike Miller/BGI)

Remember a few years ago — or even one year (or month, or day, depending on who’s talking) — when the outcry for Notre Dame to join a conference was rapidly reaching a boiling point? Things have simmered down on that front.

Considerably.

According to Heather Dinich of ESPN, the news of the SEC moving to a nine-game conference schedule in 2026 is good for the Fighting Irish’s football independence. Dinich released a report from a source Friday morning.

“The SEC will still schedule nonconference games against the Irish, the university still has a committed TV partner, a home for its Olympic sports, and a path to the playoff,” Dinich wrote. “Those have always been the keys to independence for Notre Dame.”

The TV partner is NBC, of course, and the home for Olympic sports remains the ACC for every sport other than hockey, which competes in the Big Ten. As for the path to the playoff, the Irish can earn one of the top-four seeds in the CFP starting this season. The top-four seeds get a first-round bye.

Yep. Life as an independent is still golden for the blue and gold.

Notre Dame tweets of the day (Thursday)

The Irish are unveiling sports-specific Leprechaun logos this season. The rollout kicked off with the football version, which has the Leprechaun holding a football and trudging forward.

Fans can buy apparel with the new Leprechaun logo via the link in this tweet.

FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt says Brian Kelly and LSU want absolutely no part of playing a playoff game in South Bend.

Fighting Irish quote of the day

“If I had experienced this injury earlier in high school and hadn’t had access to Notre Dame, I just think it would have been totally different. I’m so grateful for that because I truly think it has changed my outlook on the last six months just because of the people and place I’ve been surrounded by.”

— Fighting Irish women’s basketball freshman forward Leah Macy on beginning her collegiate career rehabbing a knee injury in South Bend

Blue & Gold headlines of the day

• How Notre Dame football commits from Georgia opened their 2025 high school seasons
• Three things I like, two things I’m iffy on with CJ Carr as the Notre Dame starting quarterback
• Who Chris Ash is becoming as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator

• Recruiting mailbag: Would Julius Jones Jr. be Marcus Freeman’s biggest NFL legacy win?
• All the way back: Why Notre Dame sees Jason Onye as more than a comeback story
• Tracking Notre Dame’s transfers ahead of 2025 season