Notre Dame’s Clutch Performances Propel CFP Run

Notre Dame thrives under pressure, showcasing clutch performances that fuel its College Football Playoff push.

Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Rod Heard II (2) and Fighting Irish cornerback Isaiah Dunn (32) celebrates on the field after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Notre Dame is on a roll at the exact right time

As the Irish prepare for their upcoming battle with Penn State, with a national title shot on the line, I think of a saying we are all very familiar with: "Timing is everything."

Since Notre Dame's brutal week two loss, this team has only improved, gotten better, and gained more confidence as each week slipped off the calendar and another win was added to the ledger.

Including the Georgia victory, Notre Dame has now won eight straight games vs ranked teams and has won their last nine games by double digits. This would be an impressive streak for any team, but especially for one as beat up as the Irish are health-wise, this is an incredible run with no signs of slowing down.

JAYDEN HARRISON

9️⃣8️⃣ YARDS#GoIrish | @j_harrison5

pic.twitter.com/58i6kwbw3H

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) January 2, 2025

Notre Dame is making clutch plays in huge moments in the biggest games

For the entirety of Notre Dame's now thankfully ended major bowl losing streak, I would ask myself a familiar question. Why, in these big games with everything on the line, does the other team always seem to make clutch game-changing plays at Notre Dame's expense?

Did the team just not have good enough players? Was Notre Dame's mentality or preparation the issue? Perhaps a bit of all of these factors?

The 2024 Irish team has flipped this script. With the exception of the Northern Illinois letdown, Notre Dame has been the team making these game-altering plays and it has kept doing so on this playoff run.

From Jeremiyah Love's 98-yard scamper vs Indiana to the turnovers caused and kick return by Jayden Harrison against Georgia, Notre Dame has been the clutch team.

Notre Dame is playing terrific, big game-winning football right now and there's no reason to think this won't continue. This is the kind of team Irish fans have waited to see for 30 years.

The vibe is right, the energy is electric, and the players are making big plays. This is what Notre Dame Football used to feel like in the old days, the Irish are officially back.

For more Irish news & notes follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube and or your preferred audio podcast provider.

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