Cross

[IrishExpert2288]

ND has guys like Traore Bothello, B Mo, Cross, KVA in the lineup, USC would have been very, very fortunate to score 14 points. They scored 28 with the game on the line, and 7 in garbage time

 

[4-4-3]

ND gave up 7 points with 38 seconds to go in 1st half and that was after a fumble in their own territory & a missed fg. The drive before the end of the 1st half got USC rolling & ND's db's on their heels. Still even after they gave up the 2nd half opening drive to tie the game at 21, we score to go up 28-21 the d got a stop. The offense turned it over in +territory & the d got a turnover on downs, then we score to go up 35-21 the D gets another stop.
There is a misconception that USC did whatever they wanted all game that simply wasnt the case.

ALL TRUE.

BUT...

USC had close to 600 yards, more first downs, greater time of possession and more chunk plays against ND than several other opponents had in total.

They did not do what they wanted ALL GAME -- FEW TEAMS DO -- but they did PLENTY when it counted. And were it not for one ERRANT PASS that might have tied the game late in the fourth quarter, they would have been in as good a position to win the game as ND.

That ND fumbled in its own territory and missed a chip-shot FG was EASILY NULLIFIED by ND's TWO LATE PICK SIXES. Honestly, which team was hurt more by turnovers? I think that one goes to USC. Meaning, bottom line, ND was probably the "LUCKIER" team.

The point I'm making is that in its ONLY meeting with a team with COMPARABLE OFFENSIVE DYNAMISM, ND DID NOT play as WINNINGLY as it had against various WEAKER OPPONENTS. And in the process, ND's D was exposed as something less than ALL-WORLD.

It's a good D -- probably an excellent one -- but it may not be LIGHTS OUT in the playoffs as it wasn't lights out against USC, a decidely NON-PLAYOFF TEAM despite its talent level.

My major TAKEAWAY from this is that we now have a CLEARER AND TRUER PICTURE of what a good team can CONCEIVABLY do against ND'S D.

Say, a guy like Jalen Milroe.

 

[notredame79]

We will be facing playoff teams with much better talent than USC. Need to get healthy quickly and would love to see very cold and windy on game day!!!