Seasons that don’t end in a bowl game are rare for the Notre Dame football program. It’s only happened twice (2007, 2009) since 2013.
However, a loss yesterday to Syracuse in New York would have likely put the kibosh on ND’s chances going bowling in 2016. Of course, they didn’t, and Notre Dame football fans started to breathe easier in the second half, as the Irish started to pull away from the Orange, and went on to win comfortably in the end 50-33.
Had they lost to the Cuse, it would have put them at 1-4, instead of 2-3, with still some of their biggest challenges of the season remaining on the schedule.
There’s #7 Stanford (who will obviously drop way down in the polls after being walloped by Washington) on October 15th, #14 Miami on October 29th, and a 3-1 Virginia Tech team that pretty good on November 19th. Even if they lose all three of those contests, the toughest games remaining on the slate, the Fighting Irish could still qualify for the postseason.
If they go 1-2 in that stretch, they could still be fine. The other four games remaining on the schedule are easier, at least on paper. Those opponents are a struggling USC program, and NC State, Navy and Army.
Although nothing is given with this Notre Dame football team, especially with this defense that’s still trying to grasp its basic system, you might see the Fighting Irish favored in all four of those games.
Hence a 1-4 record moving forward would have simply been too deep a hole to dig out of. The 2-3 record they currently sport is still an uphill climb, but it’s manageable, given that four games on the slate look quite winnable.
Of course, Notre Dame goes absolutely nowhere unless they can first figure it out on defense. Yesterday’s game was proverbial “optional defending,” by both teams, with most players just not exercising their option to defend. There were 36 points combined scored in the first 4:54.
The game dominated Twitter because of just how nuts it was in the early going. The scoring pace started off ridiculous, before coming back to Earth.
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/782258071179522048
No joke, DeShone Kizer is on pace to throw for 2,502 yards and 34 touchdowns against #Syracuse. #NDvsCUSE #NotreDame
— Writing Illini (@WritingIlliniFS) October 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/BPredict/status/782255201466089472
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/782276031285760000
Eventually, this Notre Dame football team calmed down and showed some signs of life that we haven’t really seen yet; perhaps inspired by new defensive coordinator Greg Hudson.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.