Pat Narduzzi would welcome Irish into ACC, but on a permanent basis

In this upside-down college football season, Notre Dame, an independent since 1887, has climbed into first place in the ACC.

The undefeated Irish, No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, agreed to join the conference only for the 2020 season to facilitate scheduling in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.

But Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi would like to see Notre Dame become a permanent member of the conference. He didn’t mention it, but the revenue and TV viewership the Irish generate would be welcome in any school’s athletic department.

“Yeah, I hope they do,” he said. “To me, you either play with us or don’t play with us. You’d almost like to boycott them.

“But if you want to play in the ACC, come play in the ACC. Then again, I’m not the (ACC) commissioner. That’s coach (John) Swofford’s job to help out there.”

The Irish (7-0, 6-0) likely will return to their independent status in 2021 and previous agreement with the ACC to play five conference teams every season.

“But to me it’s either play or don’t play,” Narduzzi said. “And if you don’t want to play, let’s not give them five games. Let them go play BYU (another independent) and whoever else they want to play. But we shouldn’t give them a game.”

In non-pandemic seasons, the Irish typically draw huge crowds to Heinz Field. From 2009 through 2015, the teams met four times in alternate seasons in Pittsburgh, drawing an average crowd of 66,081.

It also has been a mostly competitive series in recent years. Notre Dame defeated Pitt on Oct. 24, 45-3, in a nearly empty stadium, but seven of the previous eight games were decided by a touchdown or less. Pitt won three of those seven.

“They’re talented and we’d love to have them in the ACC, for sure,” Narduzzi said.

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