A Gift or a Curse? Analyzing the Positives and Negatives of Notre Dame's Week Two Bye
- Brenden Duffy
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
Notre Dame is just one of two “power” programs to have a bye week following their first game of the year. We examine whether the early bye will have a positive or negative impact:
Photo by The Irish Tribune
Following a deflating loss at Miami, many around the program believe this bye is coming at the right time. If the Irish had won on Sunday, perhaps the tune would be different. The only Power Four program following this schedule is TCU, which would be tasked with a very short week after its big win at North Carolina on Monday. Unlike TCU, which has Big 12 Championship aspirations, Notre Dame benefits from a built-in extra week of rest during Conference Championship week.
Given the circumstances, let’s review the positives of this early bye week:
Miami showed that Notre Dame has serious issues to fix. Unfortunately for the Irish, the home-opener matchup with Texas A&M is not exactly ideal for a tune-up game. Having this extra week to focus on their own issues, while preparing for A&M at the same time, can prove to be beneficial. Notre Dame needs to show improvement and a real sense of urgency when they come out next Saturday.
Notre Dame got beat up physically last week on both sides of the line in a hot and humid atmosphere. Players seemed tired from the start, and some were completely gassed by the fourth quarter. Recovery is essential in a grueling season, and luckily, those should be the least player-friendly conditions they experience this year.
Strategically, the bye placement makes sense. If the average fan were to create a perfect schedule, they would place the bye before their toughest game. As of right now, and how it appeared all summer, Notre Dame opens with their two toughest games. The Irish had the entire offseason to prepare for Miami, and now they get an extra week to prepare for Texas A&M. The Aggies defeated UTSA at home last week and host Utah State this Saturday before traveling to South Bend for week three. A&M’s first bye occurs following their matchup with the Irish, right before SEC play begins.
Now here are some potential pitfalls to an early bye:
The obvious reason programs do not schedule byes early in the season is that they would like them to be spaced out somewhat evenly, providing a week of recuperation when the team may need it. For Notre Dame this season, they are now tasked with a stretch of six games, including two SEC and two Big Ten programs, and then they finish with a five-game stretch featuring three road contests. According to ESPN, the Irish’s remaining strength of schedule ranks 60th, which may not be the walk-in-the-park that some fans expected heading into the year.
Everyone associated with Notre Dame needs to see them win as soon as possible. Players, coaches, fans, parents, students, etc., should all have a salty taste in their mouths after Sunday. The team that got beaten in Miami was not the team we expected or were promised. The sooner Notre Dame can get back on the field and win a game, the better it will be for everyone’s conscience. I certainly would not have complained about a cupcake game this week, as sometimes you just need to see the ball go through the net before you get your game back.
Do you think Notre Dame’s week two bye has a more positive or negative impact?
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