Notre Dame, a prominent college football program, continues to thrive as an independent team with a strong national following and a lucrative broadcasting deal with NBC. The Fighting Irish's relationship with NBC, which has been extended through 2029, currently pays about $20 million per year. This deal is expected to more than double in value with the upcoming extension. Additionally, Notre Dame receives media-related revenue from its scheduling agreement with the ACC, amounting to $17 million in 2022.
On the other hand, the University of Connecticut (UConn) has faced challenges since becoming an independent football program in 2020. Despite efforts by head coach Jim Mora, Jr., the Huskies have struggled on the field, posting a 10-27 record over three years. UConn last had a winning season in 2010 as a member of the Big East conference. Financially, the football program operates at a deficit, earning only $500,000 from a CBS Sports Network agreement.
UMass, another independent football program, previously had a brief stint in the MAC as a football-only member. The Minutemen joined the conference in 2012 but left after four seasons due to poor performance. Since then, UMass has struggled to achieve success as an independent team, failing to win more than four games in any season over the past 12 years.
Looking ahead, UMass is set to rejoin the MAC for all sports, including football. Coach Don Brown and his team will face familiar conference opponents in the upcoming season, with challenging matchups against MAC teams and non-conference games against Georgia and Mississippi State. The Minutemen will also host a game against Missouri, marking their first meeting with an SEC team on home turf.
