The potential pairing of Notre Dame and the Big 12 conference represents one of the most compelling and mutually beneficial moves left in college football realignment. For Notre Dame , the primary incentive is securing a clear and consistent path to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP). While they can still earn an at-large bid as an independent, winning a conference championship would guarantee a coveted spot and potentially a first-round bye. The Big 12 offers a conference home that is competitive yet less geographically dense and less politically dominant than the SEC or Big Ten, allowing ND to maintain more of its unique national identity and possibly more control over non-conference scheduling. Crucially, the Big 12's willingness to be flexible, perhaps even allowing a modified NBC media rights deal for home games, could make the deal palatable. For the Big 12 , adding the golden dome is a transformative, brand-defining victory. Notre Dame’s global brand, massive fan base, and guaranteed TV ratings would provide an instant, exponential increase in the conference’s media rights value, generating a significant revenue boost for all member schools. It would elevate the Big 12 to a clear and unquestioned "Power Three" status, challenging the market dominance of the Big Ten and SEC by uniting a national footprint with one of the sport's blue-blood programs. Ultimately, the Big 12 needs Notre Dame's prestige, and Notre Dame needs the Big 12's assured access to the national championship structure. It is a strategic necessity for both in the modern super-conference era. Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Omaha Steaks Save big on unforgettable gifts with Omaha Steaks. Visit https://OmahaSteaks.com for 50% off site-wide and an extra 20% off select favorites during their Cyber Sale. And for an additional $35 off, use promo code COLLEGE at checkout. Rugiet If you’ve been thinking about taking the next step, now’s the time. Head to https://Rugiet.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE to get 15% off your order for a limited time. Rugiet Ready. Feel present. Feel confident. Feel ready. Aura Frames For a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames - named #1 by Wirecutter - by using promo code COLLEGE at checkout. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
