Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame Football Fans, Really, Everything Is Fine After NIU Faceplant Loss (Maybe)

Notre Dame suffered one of its most embarrassing losses ever, but all might be okay ... maybe

Pete Fiutak

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) falls backwards into the end zone to score a touchdown during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) falls backwards into the end zone to score a touchdown during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend. / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK
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I know, I know, (deep breath - here we go) ...

Everyone wants Marcus Freeman on the hot seat. All that Irish talent might be brutally overrated. The intensity and focus appeared to be 11% of what it was against Texas A&M. The offensive line might really be a problem. Riley Leonard apparently reads a defense about as well as I can figure out the mobile app to get free McDonald’s nuggets. The all-around game plan was stunningly meh . Northern Illinois was the more physical team on both sides of the ball—even with players who had zero shot of ever running out of the Notre Dame Stadium tunnel. and…

The last thing any Notre Dame fan wants to hear right now is that everything is fine.

Really, it is. Maybe.

In a perfect world, the Irish hit that late field goal attempt and get out with a dangerous lesson learned (see Penn State vs Bowling Green). It didn’t happen, and now the wake-up call has been heard very loud and very clear. 

At least it had better be.

I despise getting into the mystical all-encompassing feeling type of thing when it comes to analyzing teams, but that was a focus and effort game. Northern Illinois played the best game it could possibly play, and it still came within one more Leonard completion away from probably losing.

Focus and effort had better not be an issue the rest of the way, otherwise cheerfully ignore the rest of this piece. Assuming that glitch gets fixed ...

The fundamentals of this Notre Dame team are still strong.

The coaching is still good (really). Leonard is still a big-time talent (really … but sort of wavering). The defense is still elite (really, but it had better show it again next week). The talent level is still tremendous (yeah, really).

And most of all, the Notre Dame schedule is still squishy soft.

I’m not an idiot. At least, not a full-time one.

I’m not saying Notre Dame isn't in need of a long look in the mirror after this, and I’m certainly not suggesting it has a shot against Georgia or Ohio State in a College Football Playoff setting - no one does, and yes, I’m aware of the work of a University of Texas - and if you can lose to Northern Illinois, you can probably lose to anyone. However …

At Purdue, Miami University, Louisville, Stanford, at Georgia Tech, Navy, Florida State - FSU is currently having cocktails in the “It Could Always Be Worse” lounge - Virginia, Army.

If Notre Dame is (Dennis Green voice - sky point) who we thought it was, it’s 9-0 against that, and at least 8-1. If it’s not 8-1 or better, than everything is NOT fine and we’re watching Irish football for the joy as Jason Garrett’s dulcet tones.

I know how this College Football Playoff thing rolls. No way, no how, no chance Notre Dame isn’t anything worse than the 5 seed in the expanded College Football Playoff if it’s 11-1. And why?

If it beats USC in LA to end the regular season, this Northern Illinois loss will be nothing more than a delightful ghost story told around the campfire.

Again, I know you don’t want to hear it right now, but if the Irish lost to Texas A&M and beat Northern Illinois, no one would be all that terribly worried.

Go 11-1 and be fine. Go 10-2 and everything is 83% fine.

Now go prove that this was just a strange blip, Notre Dame, by power-blasting Purdue next week.

LISTEN: Northern Illinois Radio Call of Epic Notre Dame Upset

Notre Dame Upset by Northern Illinois: Marcus Freeman's Seat Warms

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Pete Fiutak

PETE FIUTAK

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