When talking about Notre Dame, the one game every critic brings up is the week 2 loss to NIU. Notre Dame was expected to win by multiple scores, but instead, it turned into an embarrassing 16-14 loss. Many fans have described it as the worst loss in program history, a sentiment I felt when I wrote the Notre Dame Debriefing that week.
The loss has become a defining moment for this Notre Dame team. Anytime they’re brought up in playoff conversation, the first thing fans and analysts bring up is that NIU loss. No matter the amount of wins or how the Irish played in the game, people are quick to dismiss it just because of that loss in September.
While this loss is bad, and should be factored into their resume. It shouldn’t be the main talking point people bring up. This Irish team has improved a lot since that loss. The team we’ve watched since feels like a completely different team. A team that has taken that loss to heart, and used it as motivation to become one of the best teams in the country.
Notre Dame’s Record Against Good Teams
When the loss to NIU happened, it felt the only way the Irish could get back to the playoffs was a long winning streak. Win out and do it convincingly. It wasn’t good enough for them to sneak out victories, they needed to dominate these games. Which is exactly what Marcus Freeman and company have done. And these wins aren’t against easy opponents, the Irish have come against some of the better teams in the country.
Against bowl-eligible teams, the Irish are 6-1, with the one loss being the aforementioned NIU loss. They are just winning these games, they’re dominating them. They’ve outscored their opponents 227-97. That’s a point differential of 130. They also have an average win margin in those games of around 18 points.
When you look at their record vs ranked opponents their resume gets even better. They’re 4-0 when playing teams in the Top 25. With their best win of the season coming week one when they went to Kyle Fields and beat Texas A&M 23-13. They also have beaten teams that have upset other teams. The most prominent example is when they crushed Georgia Tech 31-13. This win looks better now that Georiga Tech upset the then-undefeated fourth-ranked Miami.
The Way They Have Played
If the strength of their resume isn’t the only thing working for them, they’re statistically one of the best teams. They rank sixth in points per game with 39 points. This is a head of teams like Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas. Schools all ranked ahead and whose offense gets more praised than Notre Dame. This offense is led by one of the best rushing attacks in the country. They’re averaging 221.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks 11th. Although the offense got off to a slow start, it’s clear it’s now one of the best in the country.
However, the crown jewel of this Notre Dame team is their defense. Going into this season, they were expected to be one of the best in the country. This defense has allowed only 11.6 points, which second-fewest in the nation. Lots of this success has to go to the elite secondary. The Irish led the nation in the fewest passing yards allowed, only allowing 139.5 passing yards per game. With that elite secondary, they can beat any program in the nation.
Although the NIU loss is bad, it shouldn’t overshadow what the Irish have done. It’s a team that has only improved since then and has a legit shot at a National Championship.
Brian Germinaro is a sportswriter for Belly Up Sports. Follow him on Twitter/X for more sports coverage and Belly Up Sports for even more college football content. Feature image credit: Icon Sportswire.
