Even earlier than Tennessee upset Alabama on Saturday to finish a 15-game shedding streak to its rival and faculty soccer’s supreme program, you can usually hear Tennessee fans saying, “feels like 98,” in reference to the final time the workforce gained a nationwide title. Roughly 500 miles north on Saturday, Notre Dame fans may have been uttering one thing comparable however with a special which means.
Notre Dame went 9-3 in 1998. It was Bob Davie’s second season in cost after changing the final Irish coach to win a nationwide title, Lou Holtz. Holtz arrived to Notre Dame in 1986 to revive a program that had fallen right into a rut, and was very profitable with the Irish, profitable a nationwide title in 1988. Things then started to decelerate barely after no less than 10 wins in 5 of six seasons from 1988 to 1993. The Irish went 23-11-1 in Holtz’s remaining three seasons earlier than he retired after the 1996 marketing campaign amid rumors he was leaving for the Minnesota Vikings. In stepped Davie to take over a program that gave the impression to be on stable floor however wasn’t.
Davie’s Irish went 9-3 in 1998 however 5-7 the next season. It was the beginning of a 13-year journey by way of the wilderness for Notre Dame that noticed three totally different coaches — Davie, Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis — have occasional success however have been far too usually mediocre or downright dangerous. The Irish have been shedding video games to inferior opponents.
It was a interval that ended when Brian Kelly was employed, although not instantly. Kelly went 16-10 in his first two seasons and misplaced to some groups he wasn’t purported to (Navy, Tulsa, South Florida), however he broke by way of with a 12-1 document and a BCS Championship Game look in 2012. The 2012 season raised expectations too shortly, nonetheless; the Irish would take a step again over the following few seasons and backside out at 4-8 in 2016.
Then the actual shift got here — the one the place Notre Dame grew to become one of many nation’s elite applications once more. From 2017 to 2021, Brian Kelly’s Irish groups went 54-10, and not one of the 10 losses got here to inferior groups. They got here to Georgia, Miami, Clemson, Michigan, Alabama, and a Cincinnati workforce that reached the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame reached the playoff twice.
Then, like Holtz earlier than him, Kelly left. Not to “retire” or take a job within the NFL (although Kelly was usually talked about with NFL openings in South Bend), however to take over at LSU. Notre Dame fans have been left surprised {that a} sitting head coach would leave for one more faculty program.
Now Marcus Freeman is in cost, and following a 16-14 loss to Stanford on Saturday, we should not decide any Notre Dame fan who could be experiencing flashbacks to that decade within the wilderness. Freeman’s tenure started within the Fiesta Bowl, a sport during which the Irish blew a 28-7 lead over Oklahoma State to lose 37-35. His first full season began with a 21-10 loss to Ohio State, which is appropriate, however the Irish by no means seemed to be a menace within the sport. That loss was adopted by a 26-21 residence loss to Marshall, a workforce that hasn’t overwhelmed one other FBS workforce this season however has misplaced video games to Bowling Green, Troy and Louisiana. It appeared as if issues have been being put so as when the Irish pulled off three straight stable, if not convincing, wins, however any optimism was washed away in opposition to Stanford.
Stanford’s win over Notre Dame ended an 11-game shedding streak in opposition to FBS opponents. A Stanford protection that ranked 122nd nationally in yards allowed per play and 112th in factors allowed per possession coming into South Bend held the Irish offense to 14 factors and 301 yards of offense on 61 performs (4.93 per).
The Irish are 3-3 with video games remaining in opposition to Clemson, USC and a Syracuse workforce that is undefeated and as much as No. 14 within the AP Top 25. Whether the workforce will even attain a bowl sport is in query. While residence video games in opposition to UNLV, Navy and Boston College are winnable, Notre Dame has already misplaced residence video games to Marshall and Stanford. There are not any positive issues proper now.
Of course, none of this implies Marcus Freeman will not achieve success in the long term. Brian Kelly struggled his first couple of seasons and misplaced video games he wasn’t purported to lose. But this 3-3 begin is a wonderful reminder that simply because a program has a historical past of success, it doesn’t suggest anyone can stroll in and have issues buzzing from the beginning. Oklahoma is in practically an similar scenario. Lincoln Riley left for USC and was changed by first-time head coach Brent Venables, and the Sooners are solely 4-3 and experiencing pleasure and reduction for merely beating Kansas per week after being annihilated 49-0 by rival Texas.
Freeman continues to be figuring issues out solely seven video games into his tenure as head coach. While endurance is required, each residence loss to a workforce like Marshall or 2022 Stanford will take a look at how a lot endurance fans or these in cost have.
Charity Drive of the Week
If there’s any manner you may assist pay for my pal Tennessee’s new goalposts, I’d actually recognize it. I swear Tennessee would purchase its personal goalposts if it may afford to, however you see, it was fined $100,000 by the SEC as a result of fans stormed the sector to tear its goalposts down. So, Tennessee is a double sufferer right here. Not solely did it get its goalposts stolen, however it’s being punished for a daring heist the thieves pulled off! Maybe only a donation of $52.49?
Seriously, although, I’m positive Tennessee fans are glad to pay for these goalposts proper now. If you bumped into one Saturday evening, you can in all probability persuade a Vols fan to purchase you a brand new home. They positively would’ve purchased you a drink and a cigar.
Houdini Act of the Week
For his subsequent trick, Ok.J. Jefferson will placed on a straitjacket, wrap himself in chains, droop himself the wrong way up in a tank of water crammed with Great White Sharks and discover an open receiver downfield inside 15 seconds.
Also, it’d shock you that BYU’s protection ranks 61st nationally in missed deal with fee, which is not nice, however it’s not as dangerous because it appeared on this spotlight. They in all probability ranked rather a lot larger earlier than this sport!
Workhorse of the Week
Illinois improved to 6-1 on the season with a 26-14 win over Minnesota on the broad shoulders of working again Chase Brown, who rushed for 180 yards on 41 carries and caught three passes for 53 yards and a landing. Brown leads the nation with 1,059 yards speeding and has been a workhorse for the Illini all yr, however one thing he did in opposition to Minnesota was particularly outstanding.
Between his 41 carries and three receptions, Brown had 44 touches Saturday. Minnesota’s offense ran solely 42 performs as a workforce (Illinois ran 86). Brown touched the ball extra usually than the Gophers.
Catch of the Week
It is not usually one of the best catch you see in a school soccer weekend comes from a defensive again, however that was the case this weekend. Oklahoma’s C.J. Coldon bought as much as get his fingertips on this ball and did an ideal job of preserving his eye on the prize as he fell to the bottom and caught his personal deflection.
Team of the Week
There have been some nice performances this weekend. Tennessee upset Alabama and ended 15 years of distress and ache. TCU got here again to beat Oklahoma State to remain undefeated. Michigan trounced Penn State in a sport that was a much bigger blowout than the rating signifies. Utah reminded USC that it has been the Pac-12’s finest program the previous few years and let the Trojans realize it would not plan to surrender the crown simply. All these groups deserve accolades, however I’ve to provide the award to Syracuse.
In brief, I maintain ready for Syracuse to lose, and it retains telling me to attend a little bit longer. The Orange took down No. 15 NC State 24-9, and whereas the Wolfpack did not have Devin Leary (the quarterback will miss the remainder of the season), you may solely beat the groups they put in entrance of you, and Syracuse retains beating all of them. They’re 6-0 and had a preseason win complete of 5.
Now the stage is about for a battle of unbeatens this weekend when Syracuse hits the highway to tackle No. 5 Clemson. I count on it to lose, however that could be one of the best news Syracuse can hear!
Photo of the Week
College Football Playoff Projection of the Week
This is a projection of what I feel the committee would do that week if it have been releasing a rating, not a prediction of what I feel it will likely be come the top of the season.
- Tennessee
- Clemson
- Georgia
- Ohio State
Until the following Monday After!
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