Notre Dame pockets $20 million in making national title game

Notre Dame earned a spot in the national championship game and in the process will cash in on some serious money from the College Football Playoff.

After the Fighting Irish knocked off Penn State in the semifinal round, they also clinched a major payday that became all the more lucrative given the school isn’t a member of a conference.

Based on the existing incentives within the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame automatically earned a total of $20 million, a remarkable payday given the school’s unique circumstance.

Since Notre Dame is an independent football program, it will keep every cent of that payout and not have to share it with any other schools.

Making the College Football Playoff is enough to earn $4 million, and schools also earn that much if they win their first round game.

A team that wins in the quarterfinal round earns $6 million, and takes home the same amount if they also win the semifinal round game.

Add it all together, and the Fighting Irish have played themselves into a $20 million payday.

Other teams in the playoff are members of conferences and, according to the regulations, have to split those amounts with the other schools in their leagues.

Being independent in football doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?

There has been plenty of commentary over the years that Notre Dame should “keep up with the times” and join a conference in football.

And those arguments picked up even more when the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams, giving special privilege to schools that won their conference championships.

Power Four conference champs are eligible to earn a first-round bye, but the independent Notre Dame would never be able to take advantage of that rule.

As such, it could never be ranked higher than the No. 5 seed and would face a four-game gauntlet to play for the national championship every year.

But looking at this Irish team, which beat Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State in succession so far, it appears that’s an obstacle they’re more than able to navigate.

And there’s more money to be made for Notre Dame, as teams that make the national championship game will pocket another $6 million each.