A new era is upon us. College football is going through an extreme metamorphosis. It’s all ready to climb out of its cocoon and spread its wings to fly in the sky. Athletes are getting paid, there are talks of parity around, and the recent House v. NCAA settlement has pulled in some major decisions that will benefit players and teams as well in the long run. But, there is one frontier in this ever-changing college football arena that hasn’t been breached.That is Notre Dame, with its independent and solo aura that has shaped its identity for more than a century. Notre Dame isn’t even a frontier, it’s actually a cultural wall, withstanding change and turmoil. Surely, now too, the Irish don’t want their independent legacy to wither away. Why walk again with puny humans when you can sit on Mount Olympus and stare down at them with pity right?However, it seems that the wall is about to be breached, and this time not because of their own will. But, because of the two biggest bullies in college football: SEC and the Big 10. These two conferences have long dictated how college football works and how many seeds will each conference get in the playoffs. This time they have come up with a decision to completely overhaul the process of playoff. That may be detrimental to Notre Dame’s strength of schedule and potentially their playoff chances. Here’s how.Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) celebrates a touch down with teammates in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn ImagesPaul Finebaum was asked if Notre Dame also should go ahead and explore a potential tie-up with the likes of Big10 or SEC. “I think a very smart move for Notre Dame would be to look for a similar type of deal with either the Big 10 or the SEC or some hybrid version of both. As the world turns toward the conversation with the Big 10 or the SEC, Notre Dame would be much smarter now. Again, I don’t know if that’s reasonable but I would think the commissioners of, of both leagues would be open to a relationship with Notre Dame, I don’t know why they wouldn’t be.” Notre Dame joining hands with the SEC or Big 10 sure sounds culturally not pleasing for the Irish fans. But, it may be. And here’s why.The SEC and the Big 10 are exploring a potential guaranteed seed in their college playoffs. A recent proposal saw them taking 4 spots and leaving the rest for Notre Dame, ACC, and Big 12 among the 16 spots proposed for 2026. But, that news looks more gruesome when you hear this: Both SEC and Big 10 are contemplating increasing their regular season games to add a 9th league game and both the conferences are tied up in that regard to play matches amongst themselves. But, how will it affect Notre Dame? Well, we’re getting there.Is Notre Dame lagging behind in the CFB rat race?The first and foremost thing that will happen is that Notre Dame’s major games’ schedule will be composed of teams from the ACC and Big 12. This is because when the SEC and Big 10 will expand it will leave no room for them to play outside conference games in their 9 games season. They will also have to play their conference teams and the SEC and Big10 teams vice versa. This will in turn affect Notre Dame’s strength of schedule as they have to finish in the top 14 or 16 if they want to make the playoffs (as proposed). So, what’s next?4 SEC spots, 4 Big 10 spots, 2 spots each going to ACC and Big 10, and 2 spots going to Group of Five and Notre Dame (if it finishes in the top 16 or 14 depending on the expansion). Surely, the Irish’s best bet will be to join the SEC or Big 10 in a marquee deal like the SEC and Big10 are planning. Otherwise, there is the implication of them being left behind in this rat race. Speaking of woes, there’s another thing Marcus Freeman has to worry about now.That is his QB dilemma going forward in the 2025 season. They have CJ Carr, Kenny Minchey, and Steve Angeli on their roster as QBs. But, Freeman is now stuck with his options on QB and may even need the help of the transfer portal. Who knows? The post Marcus Freeman & Notre Dame’s CFP Fate Takes a Turn in Paul Finebaum’s Verdict Amid QB Dilemma appeared first on EssentiallySports.