Notre Dame Has Been in This Position Before: The Good and the Bad

Will the Irish have a bounce back week? The program has been here before.

Purdue Boilermakers running back Elijah Jackson (33) runs the ball for a touchdown Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, during the NCAA football game against the Indiana State Sycamores at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue Boilermakers won 49-0. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman have been here before, how will they react this time?

Unfortunately, this isn't the first Marcus Freeman-led Notre Dame team to be in the position they find themselves in reeling after an unthinkable loss at home over a team it was a massive favorite over. History does suggest though that a bounceback is coming.

In 2022, Notre Dame lost to Marshall at home in a game that felt eerily similar to the NIU game, then won 3 games in a row until losing to an awful Stanford team at home.

From there, the Irish ripped off five wins in a row including a blowout of then-unbeaten and top 5 ranked Clemson. This is plenty of evidence to suggest Notre Dame is down, but not out.

Notre Dame's OC Mike Denbrock says Irish QB Riley Leonard is "wired in" on having a good performance against Purdue this Saturday. https://t.co/z1tbUds5xV

— 1075 The Fan (@1075thefan) September 12, 2024

The problem with the "we've been here before" philosophy

While there is some level of comfort with the history of Freeman Notre Dame teams bouncing back after these losses, the issue is that there continues to be a need to bounce back after these losses.

There was leeway and understanding in Year One of Freeman's tenure that the program was in flux and was trying to find its way under new direction.

But Freeman is in Year 3 now and there is no appetite or understanding for these types of losses. What was learned from the Marshall and Stanford 2022 experiences?

Or even from the frustrating Louisville and Clemson losses in 2023 where the Irish did not appear to come ready to play? The NIU result indicates not much.

There is only one way out of this situation now. Win games. Fortunately, the Irish will have a great chance to do just that against Purdue this Saturday.

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