For ages the wider sports world has been interested in seeing if Notre Dame will ever join the Big Ten Conference. While that won’t be happening during the current round of conference realignment, an announcement on Thursday has people speculating that it’s still on the table.
On Thursday, the Association of American Universities (AAU) officially added Notre Dame to its ranks. They were one of several schools along with Miami, Arizona State, George Washington University, South Florida and UC-Riverside to join.
Notably, AAU membership is considered a key part of what the Big Ten Conference desires in a school. 13 of its 14 full members are already in it.
As a result many fans are speculating – jokingly or not – that Notre Dame’s membership will in some way expedite their joining the Big Ten in the not-too-distant future.
Massive news. Massive. Notre Dame and Miami are now AAU members.
The Big Ten will be sending Miami an invite for sure now. https://t.co/UJdDSDM7b5
— Big Ten information. College football fan (@Genetics56) June 1, 2023
Now that Notre Dame is in the AAU, the Big Ten can heighten its pursuit 😂 https://t.co/Lpeydc08XR
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) June 1, 2023
Does this make Notre Dame to the Big Ten more likely? https://t.co/O8WCmlhy9i
— 9️⃣3️⃣ (@CountdownUcla) June 1, 2023
Notre Dame to big ten NEEDED https://t.co/K7dWMaHE8l
— Dhan (@Dhaneye) June 1, 2023
Notre Dame has remained stubbornly independent in college football for generations. Geographically though, they’re a perfect fit for the Big Ten and often recruit from pretty much all of the same places the conference’s 14 schools draw from.
But it’s going to take a lot more than admittance into the AAU to finally bring the Fighting Irish into the fold.
Will Notre Dame ever join the Big Ten?