Have Expectations for the 2024 Notre Dame Football Season Changed After Five Games?

What counts as a successful season for the Irish after a 4-1 start?

Sep 21, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman leads his team onto the field for the game against the Miami Redhawks at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Football Season: Expectations Going Forward

Is "playoff or bust" still the standard for Notre Dame in 2024?

Entering the 2024 football season and Marcus Freeman's 3rd at the helm in South Bend, the widely accepted fan and local media standard as to what would be considered a "successful" season at a minimum included a playoff appearance, and for some, there was even a requirement of winning at least a game once there.

After seeing 5 games, is this still the goal for Notre Dame, or have things changed due to the Northern Illinois loss and the barrage of serious injuries the team is facing? I could make legitimate arguments for both cases and will do just that.

Sep 28, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman reacts after a turnover on downs by the Louisville Cardinals in the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Does the goal for Notre Dame stand the entire year or change with ongoing circumstances?

Notre Dame has lost about 2 dozen first or second-string players to serious injury so far this season. Is this unfortunate news combined with the fact that Notre Dame has a horrific loss on the ledger already and struggles to pass the ball consistently enough to ratchet down expectations the rest of the way? A glass half-empty fan could reasonably make this argument. This is a lot to overcome.

For the glass-half-full crowd though, there is plenty of reason for hope. Notre Dame has 2 ranked wins under its belt now and despite its inexplicable early loss, it's still in position for a playoff birth with a manageable schedule left to navigate after the break. In terms of the injury issues, folks looking on the bright side will simply say "next man up" and expect plays to be made with relatively little drop-off.

To me the reality right now is that where this Irish team is at is in the eye of the beholder. There are plenty of bright spots and things to like, but also plenty of legitimate concerns and worries as well. Both positions are fair and backed by data. One thing is for sure, the rest of the ride will not be boring. Enjoy the break while we have it!

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https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-fans-exhale-bye-week-after-win-over-louisville

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-depth-tested-early-2024

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-callers-react-to-stressful-start-to-season