Notre Dame football is the blueprint for teams trying to be independent, and it has worked out pretty well for the Blue and Gold.

The Irish have been included in the College Football Playoff in 2024, and while they weren’t selected in 2025, many believed that they should have been included the field. The layout is there, and with it looking like the CFP will go to 24-teams, others could be following Notre Dame’s lead.

According to Yahoo Sports Ross Dellenger, the Miami Hurricanes aren’t happy with where they stand in the CFP. Sure, like Notre Dame, they’ve played for a title over the last two seasons, but their athletic director Joe Echevarria, sees them as a “second tier” program due to the fact that they didn’t get a chance to cast a vote for the expansion, with the Big Ten and SEC getting an opportunity.

Echevarria would go on to say “if we have to go independent, I like our chances because we are a national brand. I wouldn’t like to do that because scheduling (other sports) is really tough.” If he’d go back to the Notre Dame blueprint, he’d see that this is more than possible.

There are plenty of similarities between the two programs, who once ruled the sport. The national brand behind both of them would enable an easier transition away from a conference, and they could still keep their relationship with the ACC for all other sports. The Irish are only independent for football, and they’ve paved the way for others to follow.