Some have asked through e-mail, other through comments on the Fighting Irish Wire Facebook page, why we act like there is going to be a college football season.
Simply put: until news comes out otherwise, what do you think we should do? Get stuck with our heads buried in a deep, dark place?
As of now Notre Dame and the ACC are scheduled to start playing football games the second week of September. Obviously that could change at any moment but as of right now the games are still set to be played so we’ll get ready for a season just like we would if we weren’t living in a pandemic.
With that in mind, Notre Dame doesn’t yet have an out-of-conference opponent scheduled since the MAC canceling their season meant the Western Michigan game on September 19 isn’t happening.
Searching the internet I stumbled into a post from Vanquish the Foe, a BYU blog. There they were hoping for Notre Dame and BYU to meet up on that September 19 date since BYU is trying to find any Power Five opponent and Notre Dame suddenly has an open spot.
I’d be more than happy to see BYU come to South Bend the second week of September. Despite the Cougars being responsible for stealing Rocket Ismail’s 1990 Heisman Trophy and messing up the opener in 2004, what has BYU ever really done to make you that upset?
I like that BYU plays football as an independent, just like how I like that Notre Dame does the same in any year that isn’t struck by a global pandemic.
The folks at Vanquish the Foe bring up compelling points that BYU feels owed to have the Irish come to Provo and as much as I’m not holding my breath waiting for that trip to happen, it’s the right thing to do to help BYU this season.
Sure Notre Dame could likely easily get a game scheduled against pretty much any Group of Five member who doesn’t have their season canceled. BYU might not be the powerhouse they were under LaVell Edwards but it’s a heck of a lot bigger name brand than anything else that is likely to be out there.
BYU is hurting for a big opponent and wasn’t gifted the chance to join a conference like Notre Dame was. With the rest of the ACC playing the likes of UAB, VMI, Western Kentucky, Charlotte, Samford, UCF, Old Dominion and Liberty as out of conference opponents, why not be different and schedule someone that’s of at least some interest?
Sorry UCF fans, that was mean. Props to Georgia Tech for scheduling that game that will almost certainly be a Yellow Jackets loss.
You get my point though, there is a whole lot of uninteresting match-ups outside of ACC play this season.
Just because Notre Dame isn’t an independent in 2020 doesn’t mean they can’t throw a bone to an independent they’ve had a little bit of a history with before, having played the Cougars eight times before. The game would have to be played in Indiana due to ACC guidelines for 2020 and I’d be fine with that.
It’s not the kind of game that would make me want to go perform cartwheels in the street, but it’d do a lot more for me than a UAB or Charlotte coming to South Bend.
Consider me in for BYU coming to South Bend in 2020 but yeah, I’ve still got no interest in that return trip to Provo happening anytime soon.