Notre Dame Football: Lack of BCS Conference Will Lead to Irish Missing BCS Bid

Notre Dame is a good team, that will see their season cut short of a BCS bowl game because of their refusal to accept bids to the Big East, Big Ten and any other BCS conference that would want them to join their conference. 

It’s amazing that after two losses, in the first two weeks in the Irish season, they were at best going to get into a New Year's Day bowl game.  

However, a team like a two-loss Georgia or Arizona State, still has as good of a chance as the teams that are undefeated through seven games this year.  

And why does Georgia and Arizona State have as good of a chance as Alabama, LSU or Oklahoma? Because, they all play in BCS conferences where they are either leading their division or have a chance to be atop of their division because a team has lost their two leaders on offense.  

Yet, Notre Dame sits there with one foot in the Big East conference in everything else but football.  

Irish fans, just imagine if your Notre Dame team played their football inside of the Big East conference. At two losses, they would be right there with West Virginia as a favorite to win the conference, making a BCS bowl game. 

If Notre Dame would make the jump to the Big East, they would be able to keep their television deal with NBC.  

However, the Irish are unwilling to forgo their Independent status because it allows them to play teams like USC, Michigan State and soon Texas, while having their games exclusively on NBC and not having to share the television revenue. 

Going to a conference like the Big Ten could kill that deal, since the Big Ten has a television contract with ABC/ESPN to showcase their football games. 

However, playing in the Big Ten, assuming they would be in the Legends division, at two losses would have the Irish in third place, with a win over first place Michigan State.  

Let's go hypothetical here. Let’s say Michigan State loses to Wisconsin this week, which would move the Irish ahead of them in the standings and Michigan losses their next two games.  

The Irish would be in first place of the division with a great chance to play in the Big Ten championship game and a shot at the Rose Bowl.  

Instead, the Irish sit with two losses with a great chance to go 10-2 on the season with wins over Michigan State, USC and Stanford. Yet, that great record with those wins will give the Irish a good bowl game, but not a BCS bowl game.

Twitter: @tjmcaloon