SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The last time Notre Dame football went on the road in ACC play, it didn’t go very well at Louisville. Saturday was rinse and repeat, this time at Clemson.
Notre Dame had an especially unflattering first half and transfer quarterback Sam Hartman had four chances to get the Irish in position to tie the score in the closing minutes, but Clemson held on to win 31-23 at Memorial Stadium.
The loss is Notre Dame’s third and effectively ends its chance for a slot in a New Year’s Six bowl.
How did things go so wrong? Four reasons the Irish, ranked 12th in the US LBM Coaches Poll, fell to 7-3:
Flat-line first half dooms Notre Dame
It had to be the halftime speech of all halftime speeches for head coach Marcus Freeman after that no-show first half where all three phases — offense, defense and special teams — had issues. A Rockne-like oration, it wasn’t.
Notre Dame trailed 24-9 at the break thanks to a host of inefficiencies and self-inflicted wounds. A second-half comeback would be one for the ages. Anything else and the concern about Freeman being able to prepare his team for a big road game surface. Again.
Now 24 games into his tenure, here’s what we know about the 37-year-old Freeman as a head coach — we don’t know. Sometimes we get the Clemson effort from last year. Other times, we get the Clemson effort from Saturday.
How the points were scored:Clemson stings Notre Dame football, 31-23
Notre Dame plays way out of New Year’s Six bowl
This is how…
