Return of the MAC: Notre Dame football shells out seven-figure sums as the cost of competition

[Music] if you're a college football fan you need to hear this Notre Dame's recent payouts are turning heads and wallets Notre Dame football is shelling out seven figure sums for their upcoming games Northern Illinois is pocketing $1.4 million while Miami of Ohio gets $1.25 million this comes after a shocking upset two years ago when Marshall University after receiving their $11.25 million payout defeated the Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman knows the stakes are high he's prepping his team both mentally and physically especially since Northern Illinois has a track record of upsets like their wins over Boston College and Georgia Tech but it's not just about winning on the field Notre Dame will earn $500,000 for playing Purdue this season but will dish out $1.5 million when Purdue visits Southbend in 2026 these numbers show how much is at stake financially in college football Notre Dame is balancing the scales between making money and winning games as the landscape evolves these million-dollar matchups are becoming The New Normal so are these Hefty payouts worth it only time will tell