I was at the game and saw all the problems that you expertly pointed out. But there was something else missing that I almost never had experienced during all the games I had attended at ND (even when a student and the 2 and 7 season in 1963). Call it what you will (“spirit””mindset”, “will” whatever) the players were not mentally in the game at all. They should have been running through a brick wall for the coach that they wanted.What?? What do you mean it can't be explained? Yeah, it most certainly can be explained. The offense was complete shit, visibly so, and we didn't score and move the ball enough to win the game. The OL was particularly ineffective, and over the course of a sixty minute game, you could end up losing even to a nothing opponent, if you simply cannot get first downs or score enough points.
And that's what happened. I just explained it. It's not some sort of mystical experience that defied the laws of reality. In fact, not only did I just explain it, IT'S ALL EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT in the entire CFB universe, how bad ND looks and how terrible their offense is, just like it was shitty against tOSU. Meaning it was two games in a row when the offense was really bad and ineffective, and throw in the Cal game, certainly the first half was just as futile. And all normal, sober cool heads and observers noticed it and commented on it appropriately.
So do you understand now? Is there some reason you feel compelled to characterize the Marshall loss as some kind of impenetrable mystery? Or were you just being facetious?