How Would Big 12 Collapse Impact Notre Dame Football?

With rumors of Texas A&M leaving the Big 12 being confirmed earlier this week, a collapse of the Big 12 may very well happen.

You may be asking yourself how that scenario affects Notre Dame's football program, and rightfully so.

The ripple effects of such a collapse would likely send shock waves not just through the current Big 12 members, but through the college football landscape, including Notre Dame.

In what ways would a collapse of the Big 12 affect the University of Notre Dame and its football team?

Follow along as we find out!

Scheduling

If the Big 12 collapses, the SEC, Big 10 and Pac-12 would be likely to absorb the current Big 12 member institutions.

Those three conferences would likely make a push at becoming 16-team "mega conferences," which would comprise of a large slate of conference games.

What does that mean for Notre Dame?

It means that many teams on the current and future schedules (think Michigan, Michigan State, USC, Purdue, Stanford) would all likely have no option but to drop Notre Dame from their respective schedules.

The Irish would be left to play teams from non-AQ conferences, which would ultimately take away any chance of Notre Dame being included in the BCS conversation.

Recruiting

With Notre Dame being left in the dust after a Big 12 collapse, recruits would surely start leaning toward signing at schools with "mega conference" affiliations.

If the Irish are an afterthought after this potential "earthquake" of the college football landscape, then those precious 4-star and 5-star recruits will also make Notre Dame an afterthought.

Success at the highest level always starts with recruiting, so Notre Dame would need to take action immediately if a collapse of the Big 12 occurs if the university desires to remain a power in college football.

The Contract with NBC

A termination of Notre Dame's lucrative television contract with NBC might be a bit of a stretch, but the network might see greener pastures with a "mega conference," pun intended.

The contract with NBC all comes down to the Notre Dame brand and whether or not it remains a marketable one in the foreseeable future.

If Notre Dame is left behind in this potential major realignment, would people still want to watch the Irish on Saturdays as much as they do now?

Joining a Conference

For years, the Big 10 has been trying to lure Notre Dame into joining its already powerful conference.

If the Big 12 collapses, it seems very likely that Notre Dame would make the move to the Big 10.

The school already plays Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue on an annual basis. South Bend is also in the heart of Big 10 country, making all the more sense for the Irish to join.

With the national marketability of Notre Dame, the Big 10 could very well become the most lucrative conference on the college landscape.