Notre Dame Final 2023 Statistics - Defense
Notre Dame finished the 2023 season with a 10-3 record and the Irish ranked 14th in the final Associated Press Poll and the final Coaches Poll.
The Irish defense was one of the nation's best and fueled much of the team's success. It was an impressive second season for Al Golden and the defensive staff.
Below is how Notre Dame finished the 2023 season in the final defensive statistic rankings and some notes on that success. If you want to compare how the defense stacked up against the 2022 defense - where it improved and/or regressed - the 2022 stats are at the bottom of the article.
*** Notre Dame allowed just 15.9 points per game, which was the team's lowest point total allowed since 2012 (12.8). Prior to that the last time a defense held opponents to fewer points in a season was 1992 (14.8).
*** Notre Dame gave up just 276.3 yards per game, which was the program's best mark since 1996 (270.0), and prior to that the only season that was better was the 1980 defense (234.5). Notre Dame gave up 4.44 yards per play, which was the best mark since 2002 (4.38).
*** Notre Dame gave up just 157.3 passing yards per game, which is the program's best finish since 1996 (150.6).
*** The Irish held opponents to a 52.4% completion rate, which was the 5th best single-season mark since 1990. The last time Notre Dame had a lower completion percentage allowed was back in 2002 (49.3%).
*** Notre Dame held its opponents to just 5.5 yards per pass attempt, which is the program's best single-season performance since 1980 (4.9). The next closest mark came in 2018 (5.6). Notre Dame also allowed 10.49 yards per completion, which is the 7th-best single season performance since 1939. Only 1993 (9.5), 2018 (9.8), 1989 (9.8), 2012 (10.0), 10.2 (2010) and 1966 (10.3) were better.
*** Notre Dame held opponents to just 8 passing touchdowns this fall, which was the best single season mark since the Irish defense gave up just 7 passing touchdowns in 1997.
*** The Irish gave up just 119.0 rushing yards per game and 3.54 yards per rush attempt, the program's best defensive performance since 2012 when the defense held opponents to 105.7 rushing yards per game and 3.47 yards per rush. Notre Dame did not allow a single opponent to rush for 200 yards or more, something that hasn't happened in over two decades.
*** Notre Dame's 75 tackles for loss was the program's lowest mark since 2016 (61). Ranking 59th in tackles for loss per game, but 25th in most negative yards created shows that Notre Dame might not have generated a high volume of tackles for loss, but the stops they did make were impactful.
*** The Irish defense held opponents to 207 first downs this season, which is better than any performance going back to 2010. The 99 passing first downs allowed is also the best during that stretch, and the 81 first downs allowed is 3rd, behind 2020 (73) and 2012 (74).
*** One of Notre Dame's most impressive performances was how the defense turned around its red zone defense. In 2022, Notre Dame ranked second to last and last in red zone defense and red zone touchdown defense. In 2023 the Irish jumped up to 2nd and 3rd in those categories.
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