Notre Dame spent its bye week on the sidelines, but the results around the country still hit plenty of nerves.
The biggest sting came from BYU’s double-overtime loss to UCF. After Notre Dame fell to the Cougars last week - even if that loss is quite shady - the consolation was that it came against the No. 2 team in the country. That cushion is a lot thinner now, and it’s hard to see that defeat in quite the same light.
At the same time, Wisconsin gave the Irish a helpful counterpoint by flattening No. 16 USC, 24-7, to move to 5-2.
Luke Fickell’s only losses this season have come against No. 4 Notre Dame and No.
12 UCLA, and the Badgers were competitive early before Notre Dame pulled away 41-13. Once the College Football Playoff rankings begin, that Wisconsin win is the kind of result the Irish will gladly hang onto.
Winner: The Power 2 (Big Ten and SEC)
Wisconsin’s performance and BYU’s stumble shaped more than just Notre Dame’s outlook. When the CFP debates over at-large spots start in earnest, those results will be used as evidence that the SEC and Big Ten deserve as many bids as possible, while the Big 12 should get only one.
UCF is not a playoff team. BYU’s case took a hit too. Wisconsin, though, now has a path to a legitimate argument if it finishes 10-2.
Winner: Notre Dame critics
The loss to BYU gave critics fresh fuel, especially when they started revisiting Notre Dame’s record against ranked opponents over the past two seasons. The Irish are now 0-3, with losses to Miami, Texas A&M, and the Cougars.
It mattered more when BYU looked like one of the best teams in the nation. Then UCF went out and ripped through what had been a strong defense, winning 39-31 in double overtime. That naturally raises the uncomfortable question: why could UCF’s offense do what Notre Dame’s could not?
Winner: NBC
Notre Dame’s November 7 game against Miami no longer carries the No. 1 vs. No. 2 shine it might have had if Marcus Freeman’s team handled BYU. Even so, NBC still has a major broadcast on its hands.
The matchup should draw huge interest either way. Notre Dame fans will be looking for a statement win, while critics will be hoping Miami can shut the door on the Irish’s CFP hopes for a second straight year. With so much hanging over the game, the ratings should be huge - maybe even bigger now that there’s an obvious playoff exit ramp in play.
Loser: Mike Denbrock
Anyone who watched UCF move the ball almost at will against BYU, especially late, likely came away with even more questions about Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s approach last week. The biggest gripe was the repeated use of fade routes in the end zone instead of mixing things up.
That frustration isn’t going away just because BYU lost the following week.
Loser: The Carr family
This one isn’t connected to BYU at all. While CJ Carr sat out and reset during the bye, his younger brother Tommy got his first career start - and it went poorly.
There are understandable excuses. Few true freshmen would want their debut to come against Indiana’s defense.
Still, Carr finished 20 of 32 for 167 yards with an interception. He also took an early sack and coughed up the ball.
Michigan did push Indiana to overtime, but the Wolverines’ defense was the real reason. There’s now a real question about who starts next time, and it sure looks like Bryce Underwood would get the job back.
In Other News...
Notre Dames BYU Loss Just Took On Even Bigger Meaning
UCLAs unbeaten start under first-year coach Bob Chesney has become one of the early surprises of the season, and the Bruins are suddenly looking like a real Big Ten contender. For Notre Dame, that matters because the Irish loss to BYU already had ripple effects, and the Cougars rsum has only gotten stronger as the season has gone on.
BYUs upset win over Notre Dame is carrying even more weight now, with the Cougars climbing in the rankings and improving their playoff case. Oregons uneven season has also added another wrinkle to the national picture, especially after the loss of quarterback Dante Moore left the Ducks in a tougher spot and made the path to the postseason even less certain. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces A Complicated Ranking Drop After Costly Upset
Miami held onto the No. 1 spot in the AP college football rankings after rolling past Pittsburgh, with Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney helping keep the Hurricanes on top. For Notre Dame fans watching the top of the poll, the more immediate intrigue centers on what comes next behind Miami, especially after BYU entered the weekend at No. 2 and then stumbled in a double-overtime loss to UCF.
Ohio State is widely expected to rise to No. 2, but the rest of the top six could get messy in a hurry. BYUs drop opens the door for Notre Dame, Indiana and Georgia to jockey for position, and the exact order will depend on how pollsters sort out a crowded group of teams with legitimate claims to the upper reaches of the rankings. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freemans Notre Dame Pitch To Leonard Moore Said Everything
Marcus Freemans recruiting pitch to Leonard Moores family was refreshingly direct, and it fit the way he has built Notre Dames roster. Dr. Leonard Moore, Leonards father, said Freeman leaned into the schools academic demands and made it clear that nothing about the football path would come easy, including the fight for snaps. It was less about selling comfort than selling a challenge, and that candor clearly resonated enough for Moore to commit to the Irish.
Once he arrived, Moore did not have to wait long to validate the fit. He was in the starting lineup by Week 5 of his freshman season and began making his presence felt on defense, the kind of early impact that usually comes only when a player is ready for the expectations Freeman puts in front of him. The larger point in the recruiting story is obvious enough: Notre Dame is not promising shortcuts, and Freeman is not pretending otherwise, which may be exactly why players like Moore are buying in. [Read more 🡒]