Notre Dame wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (4) reels in a 36-yard touchdown pass while being covered by Wisconsin cornerback Faion Hicks (1) during the second quarter of their game Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. Mjs Uwgrid26 2 Jpg Uwgrid26

The world of college sports, specifically college football, was seemingly shifted forever on Thursday when USC and UCLA announced they were leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. The move signaled to the rest of the college sports world that we’re about to see the age of mega-conferences begin forming and these seismic moves are just getting started.

Naturally, as happens anytime there is a massive conference realignment, all eyes turn to Notre Dame to see if the longtime independent will finally join a conference for football. It certainly sounds like if it was ever going to happen, that time might finally be near.

According to CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, both Washington and Oregon have been told by the Big Ten that the conference is waiting for an answer from Notre Dame about membership before it moves forward expanding to any other schools.

Given that everyone is talking about how this all ends with two mega-conferences, the Big Ten and the SEC (or whatever they would be called), it would appear that Notre Dame will have to consider its next step carefully. While the school revels in its independance and the financial windfalls that come with that, the direction of the sport could pass them by if they’re not careful.

There’s still so much more to unpack about where this all shakes out. In the meantime, however, the rumors and reports about Notre Dame’s potential conference decision have the college football world talking.

[Dennis Dodd]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.