Notre Dame’s independent status means massive payout for performance in College Football Playoff

Notre Dame’s march to the Orange Bowl has a much larger impact on its program than other schools in the same position.

Competing as an independent team since 2021 (the school played in the ACC in 2020 during COVID), the Fighting Irish have already earned a whopping $14 million directly for their school for making it to the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Notre Dame’s independent status means the school will take home more than any other program and has made more than three other conferences have made, which in the conferences will be divided among multiple programs.

Ohio State and Penn State, which also made the semifinal, will divide their $14 million each among Big Ten teams, while Texas will have to share its money with the SEC.

The schools made $4 million for simply making the College Football Playoff, $4 million for advancing to the quarterfinals, and $6 million for getting to the semifinals, Front Office Sports reported. The teams that advance to the national championship on January 20 will earn another $6 million.

That’s $20 million all in for Notre Dame if the Irish beat Penn State in the Orange Bowl on January 9.

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Notre Dame’s totals have outpaced multiple conferences, including the ACC’s $8 million from SMU and Clemson, the Big 12’s $8 million from Arizona State making the quarterfinals, and the Mountain West’s $8 million for Boise State doing the same.

At the same time, the SEC has collected $26 million, with Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee all participating in the CFB, while the Big Ten has made $40 million through Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State.

If Ohio State or Penn State advances to the final to collect the $20 million payout, it will be divided among the 18 teams of the Big Ten. Currently, these two teams will make about $2.2 million from their current earnings.

Other expenses awarded to schools are $3 million per round for travel along with $300,000 if schools maintain academic standards.

NCAA men’s basketball has a similar payout system for March Madness, which awards a reported $2 million to teams for each game they play in the national tournament .

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