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Notre Dame Football: 5 biggest ‘What If’ losses in Irish history

By Daniel Morrison

CLEMSON, SC - OCTOBER 03: DeShone Kizer #14 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish walks to the sidelines against the Clemson Tigers during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on October 3, 2015 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - OCTOBER 03: DeShone Kizer #14 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish walks to the sidelines against the Clemson Tigers during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on October 3, 2015 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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CLEMSON, SC – OCTOBER 03: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Clemson Tigers runs with the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on October 3, 2015 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

2.  2015: Notre Dame 22, Clemson 24

Going into the 2015 season, there were high hopes for the Irish. Notre Dame came into the season ranked No. 11, and was never ranked worse than No.15. So while Notre Dame was excellent, they were disappointing in a way as well.

Be it the Fiesta Bowl loss or the simple waste of talent, this team was frustrating. It started when they could have and should have won at Clemson. They didn’t, and it cost Notre Dame in a way that no one saw coming.

Today, Notre Dame is often perceived as a pretender. Notre Dame is depicted as not being able to keep up with the college football elites. At the top of that list is Clemson. Notre Dame getting beaten badly by the Tigers in the Cotton Bowl didn’t help, but if Notre Dame had a marquee win under Brian Kelly, the program would be getting more respect nationally.

More importantly, as far as the entire landscape of college football is concerned, this is the game that propelled Clemson into national dominance. Before 2015, Clemson was a good team who lost the big games. They were close, but couldn’t get over the hump.

However, since 2015, Clemson is the most respected program — aside from Alabama — in college football. This game is also a huge part of how the Tigers landed a one-seed in that year’s College Football Playoff.

In the Orange Bowl, Clemson got a Oklahoma team who looked like they weren’t quite good enough for the College Football Playoff. Then, in the Championship Game, they got Alabama. Obviously, Alabama had been the dominant power for a few seasons before the two met. Since then, these programs seem to meet annually in the post season. They’re usually great games, and the two teams are scary close talent-wise.

However, if Notre Dame had won, Clemson would have had the big game-choking reputation for a while longer. The dynamic of their series with Alabama would be different as well. Notre Dame could be perceived as more of a modern power had they won the Clemson game.

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