Notre Dame’s Program Maturity Faces a Test Against Florida State

Facing Florida State, Notre Dame looks to prove its program maturity and resilience in a true focus game.

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Jaden Greathouse (1) catches the ball during the first half against the Navy Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Notre Dame needs to avoid the trap

Notre Dame has played really strong football throughout the middle part of its schedule. The Irish enter November on a six-game winning streak and with Marcus Freeman sporting his best record at this point in any season as the head man for the Irish at 7-1. The Irish have been and are trending up.

As for Notre Dame's opponent this week Florida State? After a 13-0 ACC campaign last season, the Seminoles are a pathetic 1-8 with no end to the misery in sight. This football team has plenty of raw talent but cannot seem to put it all together to play winning football. There's a reason that Notre Dame currently sits as nearly a 4-score favorite. They've been that bad.

Regardless of record, Notre Dame cannot afford to look past FSU. The biggest mistake the Irish can make is to take this team lightly based on their record and give the Seminoles the only highlight of a year it'd like to forget.

There's too much on the line to let this happen. And Notre Dame has come too far from week 2 to lose at home against a team it shouldn't, again. Notre Dame must be laser-focused. This is November playoff push football.

Completion percentage for Florida State QB’s this year:

DJ Uiagalelei - 53.8% (156 Attempts)
Brock Glenn - 46.2% (93 Attempts)
Kromenhoek - 39.3% (28 Attempts)

If Mike Norvell and co. get double digit points against the Al Golden Notre Dame defense, I’ll be shocked

— College Football Watcher (@CFBWatcher) November 5, 2024

Notre Dame should pay no attention to the CFP circus

While the college football media and fans fully indulged themselves with CFP content, debates, reactions, and reviews in response to the initial rankings in which Notre Dame sits 10th and in fine playoff position, the team cannot afford to pay this much if any attention to this circus.

For any of the discussions about how Notre Dame could land a round one hosting seed or speculation about what team the Irish could face in the first round to matter, four more games must be won.

I do think it's important that the Irish program understands the position it's in and what is on the line regarding its playoff position, but beyond that, the team needs to focus on the single next game in front of it and nothing else.

Notre Dame has been counted out by most of the country since week two. To its credit, it has fought back into playoff position by winning week after week. The playoff light can now be seen at the end of the tunnel, there can be no distractions now. Just wins by a rapidly maturing program under a coach growing into his own.

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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