Notre Dame Football vs. Clemson Review: Studs and Duds

Notre Dame Football vs. Clemson Review: Studs and Duds

When upsetting the No. 1 team in the country, the victor does not really have any duds, but these are the closest thing to it.

The Notre Dame Student Body

It was probably inevitable, but Notre Dame defeated the No. 1 team for the first time since 1993, and in a year filled with lock downs, unrest and a divisive political election, a spontaneous outburst of joy was waiting to happen.

Ultimately, rushing the field not only puts many people at risk of contracting a virus that is dangerous, but it also was a bad optic. And, on a completely football level, the Irish could lose players for the next contest if they contracted the virus during the on-the-field celebration.

Tariq Bracy and the Notre Dame pass defense

In focusing on stopping Travis Etienne, the back end of the Irish defense was going to be exposed. D.J. Uiagalelei threw for 439 yards and two touchdowns, and that many yards set a new opponent record surpassing Carson Palmer’s 425 yards against the Irish in 2002.

Tariq Bracy (and other Notre Dame defensive backs) were left one-on-one with Clemson’s talented wide receivers. The Tigers won many of these matchups including a 53-yard touchdown reception by Cornell Powell.

But, the point was to stop Etienne from beating Notre Dame and to ultimately win the game.

Dabo Swinney’s Sideline Behavior

Swinney handled himself with class following Clemson’s first regular season defeat in 39 games. But, his sideline antics were less than amusing for Irish fans, and those in favor of mask wearing. Swinney’s complaining persuaded officials to pick up a pass interference flag that was so clearly a penalty it defied logic.

This non-call almost cost Notre Dame a victory. He also roamed the sideline not wearing his neck gaiter the vast majority of the football game. It was almost as if his star quarterback was not playing due to a positive COVID-19 test.