Mizzou's Gary Pinkel: Notre Dame should have to join a conference

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Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel fired a shot toward South Bend on Monday. 

The longtime Tigers coach doesn't think it's right Notre Dame is allowed to be independent in football while four of college football's five power conferences play conference championship games.

The NFL argument is a little off -- isn't one of the NCAA's chief arguments for not paying players that they're not professionals? -- and it's beside the point, because Notre Dame has no intention of joining a conference.

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Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick found a home for Notre Dame's non-football sports in the ACC as the Big East broke up, and with it, the Irish will play five ACC opponents per season starting in 2016 (due to schedule constants, Notre Dame played four ACC teams in 2014 and will play six in 2015). Joining a conference could put traditional rivalries against Navy and USC in jeopardy, and Notre Dame likes its ability to play teams from different conferences thanks to its independent status. Plus, being independent is a tradition at a tradition-steeped institution. 

So ultimatum from Pinkel aside -- he's reached four conference title games in his decade and a half in Columbia -- Notre Dame won't conform to a conference any time soon. 

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