Undefeated but Unproven: Is Notre Dame Living up to the Hype?
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While Marcus Freeman is 5-0 for the first time in his career, Notre Dame fans still feel uneasy about this team and question whether they are as good as the preseason expectations had them out to be. Is it warranted?
It came as no surprise that Notre Dame was one of the most hyped up teams heading into the season. They had a Heisman candidate at quarterback, a talented offensive line returning, and nine starters back on an already star-studded defense. This level of talent caused Irish fans to raise their expectations of this team to a point they may have never had for a previous team. This is a strong sign for the program, as it is beginning to view itself as a true powerhouse in the sport that expects to win every game it plays. While these expectations can be good, the fanbase has begun to worry that this team may not meet them.
To start, it is important to remember that Notre Dame is undefeated, which is hard to do no matter who they play. Think of the 2024 team; they lost in week two to Northern Illinois and still made it to the National Championship. It should serve as a reminder that Notre Dame has looked much worse than this and still found late-season success. Earlier this season, Oregon, another team with National Championship expectations, lost in a stunning game against Oklahoma State. A game like this proves that winning games can be hard no matter who the opponent is. Notre Dame learned that lesson a few years ago, and while they have not been perfect, they have managed to right their wrongs and stay undefeated.
Yes, it does feel like something is still missing with this team, as if they have not fully clicked. This may be what has worried fans the most. Across the country, some teams seem to already be in full gear. Miami, an upcoming opponent for Notre Dame, has looked unstoppable to start the year, led by their star duo of Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney. Alabama is another team that has looked really impressive through five games. They have found a star quarterback in Keelon Russell, which has led them to one of the best offenses in the country. Notre Dame has not looked quite as good as some of these teams, but it may not be due to a lack of talent. Notre Dame, while they have struggled to win as emphatically as some may have hoped, has shown aspects of why they can be a National Championship team. They just have yet to put everything together for four quarters. Take the game against North Carolina: the offense may have finally played their best game as a unit, but it was surprisingly the defense that struggled. Against Wisconsin, the defense was lights out, but the run game was still dormant. Every week, the team has shown the ability to continue improving in at least one aspect of the game. This can be seen as a good sign for a team that may still be waiting to peak. With the strongest part of the schedule ahead of them, Notre Dame may just peak at the right time when the moment calls for their best.
The last part of the critical lens some have viewed this team through has to do with the lack of a superstar playmaker. Last season, Notre Dame had Jeremiyah Love, who was maybe the best playmaker in the country. With a player like him, Notre Dame and its fans had the confidence that he had the ability to make the big plays in big moments that win games. This season, Notre Dame lacks that kind of playmaker, which may create a divide between them and some of the other teams in the country. As mentioned previously, Miami has Toney, which immediately makes them an offense that can hurt a defense on any play. He has proven to be almost unguardable and will be a huge challenge for the Irish defense. Ohio State has Jeremiah Smith, who may just be one of the greatest wide receiver prospects ever. These kinds of players give teams a sort of superpower, attracting hype and attention that Notre Dame does not have. While it is true that Notre Dame doesn't have those kinds of players on offense, it is not necessary to beat teams with them.
In 2023, Michigan won the National Championship without a true star on offense. Instead, they leaned into their physicality, toughness, and defense to beat opponents. They would suffocate teams until they eventually quit, a philosophy this Notre Dame team is capable of replicating and has so far this season. In some of these wins, Notre Dame has done nothing to look "pretty". Instead, they slowly build leads on teams with good defense and a methodical offense. It may seem like a team is in the game until you look up at the scoreboard and Notre Dame is up by 24. While this type of game does not grab national attention and is talked about all week, it wins games, which is exactly what Freeman and this team have been doing.
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