Notre Dame may join the ACC for the 2020 football season

The 2020 college football season may be a historic one for the University of Notre Dame if they temporarily join the ACC.

A report by Stadium.com says the Fighting Irish would become part of the ACC for the 2020 season, but would revert to their independent status for the 2021 season.

“I think it’s time. The ACC probably makes more sense than any of the other conferences," said Jim Augustine, owner of Augie's Locker Room.

Augustine has been a Notre Dame fan his entire life.

He said the Fighting Irish should be part of the ACC, not just this season, but long term.

“I don’t see a negative. I really think it would make more sense to stay within a conference play those teams, and again you’re going to play some outside the conference too, you’re still going to play USC,” Augustine said.

Notre Dame has never competed in a conference in football.

The university is a member of the ACC for sports, except football and hockey, since 2014.

Under the plan released Friday, the Irish would go back to being independent next year.

ESPN reporter Andrea Adelson said while it's an unusual option, it may be what's needed.

Three games were removed from the team's schedule after the Big 10 and PAC 12 switched to a conference only schedule.

“There needs to be creative solutions to these impossible challenges that all of these athletic directors, commissioners, university presidents, and chancellors are now facing,” Adelson said.

Under the proposed plan Notre Dame would play ten ACC games and a single non-conference game.

Right now the 2020 season is still uncertain because of coronavirus cases increasing across the country, but Adelson says we should get some answers about Notre Dame football soon.

“If it’s an out of the box idea and model that works for everybody, that might be the way to go, but again these are only discussions. It’s only one model under consideration. We’re not going to know the final result until next Wednesday,” Adelson said.

Universities in the ACC are set to meet Wednesday, July 29th to talk about the 2020 schedule.