Big Ten waiting to hear from Notre Dame about joining conference, per report

The next phase of college football realignment could involve Notre Dame.

College football expansion is in the air once again, and now the only question is which schools are set to move, and to which conferences.

The latest developments appear to be coming from out west again.

Oregon and Washington are looking to jump ship from the Pac-12 after USC and UCLA, and while the Big Ten is interested, the conference is putting them on hold until they hear from Notre Dame.

That's according to a new report from CBS Sports, which says the Big Ten is waiting on an answer from the Fighting Irish before expanding further to the West Coast.

The report also implies that Oregon and Washington are reaching out to the Big Ten about possibly joining the conference rather than stay in what's left of the Pac-12.

Notre Dame could be up next

Since news of the latest Big Ten expansion broke, all eyes turned towards Notre Dame, the last remaining college football superpower seemingly on the board for the taking.

That comes with some complications, however.

Notre Dame is a football independent, but is a member of the ACC in other sports. The school would likely have to take its other sports with it in the event of an exit as the Big Ten would not bring ND on as a football-only member.

But leaving the ACC could be costly owing to the league's grant of rights agreement. Any school that leaves before 2036 would have to give its media revenue to the ACC through that year, or else pay a major exit fee rumored to be around $100 million.

But reports also indicate that Notre Dame could avoid some of that bill, which could be lower given that the school's football program wouldn't be part of that deal.

Any fee that ND would have to pay, the school would likely make back in a year or two of being in the Big Ten.

By adding Notre Dame, the Big Ten would have 17 members, but wants to avoid having an odd number of schools.

That means the league would be in the market for three new members: likely Pac-12 stalwarts Oregon, Washington, and Stanford.

But that plan depends on Notre Dame picking up the phone first.

(h/t CBS Sports)

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