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Was Notre Dame’s win against Clemson the best of the Brian Kelly era?

By Daniel Morrison

Nov 7, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leads his team out of the tunnel before the game against the Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame defeated Clemson 47-40 in two overtimes. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leads his team out of the tunnel before the game against the Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame defeated Clemson 47-40 in two overtimes. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Notre Dame HC Brian Kelly
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 07: Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly enters Notre Dame Stadium for an interview on a live broadcast of ESPN College Gameday from Notre Dame Stadium before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Clemson Tigers on November 7, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame beating Clemson on Saturday night was a signature win for Brian Kelly, but was it the best victory of his career in South Bend?

It has been an undeniable fact that ever since Lou Holtz, Notre Dame has failed to live up to expectations, and can’t win major games. Look no further than the simple fact that Notre Dame hasn’t won a major bowl game since the 1994 Cotton Bowl.

That inability against premier opponents has seeped into the regular season, and become a longstanding monkey on Notre Dame’s back.

There’s always been frustrating directed at head coach Brian Kelly over his big game difficulties. He has either been out-schemed, or out-recruited by the game’s elite coaches, and it shows up on the field. Not Saturday night against Clemson though, as the Notre Dame win put them as the front runner to make the ACC Championship Game and put them in control of their own fate heading towards the College Football Playoff.

Vitally important to this season, where does the win against Clemson stack up against the other top wins of the Brian Kelly era at Notre Dame? Is it the best win at Notre Dame under Brian Kelly? Which games can even compare in terms of importance that Notre Dame won under Kelly?

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