With the stunning news that USC and UCLA are planning to move to the Big Ten, it didn’t take long for fans and media to turn their attention to Notre Dame.

As many of the college football powers continue to consolidate, the Fighting Irish are a wildcard. They could join a conference — likely the Big Ten or ACC, where they are already partial members — or remain independent.

Joining a conference would likely be the more lucrative option. The Big Ten is expected to produce a higher annual revenue distribution to its members than the ACC will.

However, Notre Dame does have an existing relationship with the ACC. The Irish’s deal for 5 regular season football games runs through 2036. As things currently stand, Notre Dame would contractually not be able to join a conference other than the ACC until that deal expires.

Still, that didn’t stop fans and media from speculating Notre Dame may be eyeing the Big Ten as part of its next move. There’s also a growing consensus that the ACC needs to bring on Notre Dame as a full-time member in order to maintain its status amongst the elite conferences.

It’s also worth noting that Notre Dame has historically valued its independence. It’s still unclear if this round of college football realignment will impact that stance.

With that being said, here’s the best of the reaction to Notre Dame’s options after Thursday’s realignment news: