Notre Dame has spent decades defending its independence, but the College Football Playoff could soon put that freedom to the test. Marcus Freeman’s team is 6-0 and preparing to face No. 8 BYU on Saturday, but a bigger shake-up is brewing off the field. The Irish may soon have to face more SEC and Big Ten opponents, whether they like it or not.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the CFP is nearing a deal with ESPN to expand from 12 to 24 teams as early as 2027, pending final approval. The bigger field could make playoff qualification easier for Notre Dame, but there’s a catch: a tougher regular-season schedule and less freedom to pick its opponents.

“More on scheduling: Notre Dame is expected to increase its frequency of playing SEC and Big Ten schools as part of the 24-team expansion,” Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported on X. “Irish AD Pete Bevacqua, a former TV executive, was a central figure in negotiations with ESPN over the last several weeks.”

The CFP management committee, made up of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, discussed the proposed expansion Thursday, though no vote was taken. The Irish remain independent, generally playing five ACC opponents each season while maintaining their own NBC deal.

Their future slate already includes a home-and-home series with Auburn starting next season, followed by matchups against Arkansas and Texas in 2028. Alabama and Texas are both scheduled for 2029.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has also pushed for Power Four teams to play at least 10 games against power-conference opponents or Notre Dame, making the Irish an attractive scheduling option.

The expansion push originated with the Big Ten, which proposed the 24-team field in August 2025. The SEC gradually became more receptive, while the ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame also shifted toward supporting the format. ESPN could acquire the rights to additional playoff games through the 2031 season. The 30-day negotiating window closed October 9, and the December 1 deadline for approving changes in 2027 is approaching.

CFP executive director Rich Clark said the sides had already worked through several issues before financial negotiations began. “We’ve worked through a lot of the other issues associated with [a 24-team] expansion and those things needed to happen before we started any kind of negotiation [over money],” Clark said.

The proposal could eliminate Power Four conference championship games, putting at least $250 million in estimated revenue at stake. Recovering that money remains a major concern for the conferences. Programs would also need to adjust their schedules to meet the proposed 10-game standard.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti has already committed to making those changes. “We’re going to improve our schedules, and I’m totally comfortable doing that as a commitment,” Petitti said.

For Notre Dame, the potential reward is significant. Under the proposed format, the top eight seeds would receive first-round byes, while teams seeded ninth through 16th would host opening-round games.

The Irish finished 11th in the final CFP rankings last season but missed the 12-team field. Had the 24-team format been in place with identical rankings, they would have qualified and hosted a playoff game. A larger field could also keep more programs in postseason contention throughout the regular season.

For now, Freeman’s team must deal with BYU before facing Navy on October 31 and Miami on November 7. But beyond this season, the bigger question is how much scheduling freedom Notre Dame will retain as college football moves toward a potentially expanded postseason.