If things changes ND may be forced to join the ACC. Being independent is not all it is cracked up to be. Playing tough teams early on in the year or random times through out the year given needing to play P5 teams around conference schedules is not ideal.
That being said I hope ND is always independent, it works. The difference is ND had bowl tie-ins, BYU does not. ND can get home and home with anyone and get teams to come to ND for one and dones. BYU can't.