Notre Dame Set To Join ACC

The hottest single-ish girl around in college football just went off the market on Wednesday with the surprise announcement that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will move non-football sports from the dying Big East and into the ACC, with the football team set to play five games annually against teams in the conference.

There is currently no timetable for the move.

Here is the statement from Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins:

The ACC is composed of some of the most highly respected universities in the country, and we at Notre Dame look forward to joining them. With a mix of institutions - many of which are also private, similar to Notre Dame in size, and committed to excellence in research and undergraduate education - the ACC is an exceptionally good fit for us academically, as well as athletically.

Yeah, okay, whatever bro. I kinda just tuned you out, but thanks.

Follow after the jump for analysis of how this move impacts the Big 12.

For the Big 12, it means that the league was really serious about not expanding, though whether the lack of impetus in this case was from the conference or Notre Dame not feeling like the Big 12 was a good fit is not clear. The close relationship between DeLoss Dodds and Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick was always going to help the Big 12 in any talks, but the ACC is probably just a better fit.

It also reduces the already-long odds that Florida State and/or Clemson would ever join the Big 12, as the addition of Notre Dame should spark a re-negotiation of the ACC television deal that was so disappointing for some member schools in the spring.

If the Big 12 wants to expand at this point, the likely candidates are once again Louisville and Cincinnati, the only two somewhat appealing teams left in the Big Least, excuse me, Big East. Yeah, that is most likely not going to happen.

And the Big East just got weaker. Again.

In a minute PB will be around to talk some mess about South Bend and say "I told you so" about the Irish not joining the Big 12.

Notre Dame Will Join ACC, Football Remains Independent (via sbnation)