Our winners and losers column looks a bit different this Sunday morning because Notre Dame didn’t play. Still in the 12-team College Football Playoff universe, a bye week can be just as (or more) impactful as a direct win or loss.
The Fighting Irish likely found the BYU vs. UCF game especially frustrating. After losing to the Cougars last week (even if that loss is quite shady), the saving grace was that it was a loss to the No. 2 team in the country. Now it’s hard to see
Winner: Notre Dame’s victory over Wisconsin
While the BYU loss to UCF in double overtime was a blow to Notre Dame’s strength of schedule, another game might have offset it. The Wisconsin Badgers not only beat No. 16 USC, but they dominated the Trojans.
The Badgers got a big win over a Top 25 team, 24-7, to improve to 5-2. With Luke Fickell’s only losses this year coming against No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 12 UCLA, the Badgers played ND tough for the first half and lost 41-13. With that solid a win, the Irish will point to it once the College Football Playoff polls start coming out.
Winner: The Power 2 (Big Ten and SEC)
Wisconsin’s win and BYU’s loss will affect more than just Notre Dame. When the CFP polls start coming out, and the arguments over at-large spots really begin, BYU’s loss and Wisconsin’s win will go a long way toward proving the SEC and Big Ten should get as many spots as they can, and the Big 12 should get only one. UCF isn’t going to the playoffs; BYU’s case for a spot there took a hit as well. Wisconsin, on the other hand, should it go 10-2, will have a claim.
Winner: Notre Dame critics
After the loss to BYU, more than a few critics started talking about Notre Dame’s performance against ranked teams over the last two years. The Irish are now 0-3 with losses to Miami, Texas A&M, and the Cougars. It was one thing when BYU was established as one of the best teams in the country. But UCF dismantled what had been a very good defense on Saturday, 39-31 in double OT. The question will now be, why could UCF’s offense do what the Irish couldn’t?
Winner: NBC
The Notre Dame game against Miami on November 7 doesn’t have the No. 1 vs. No. 2 billing it could have if Marcus Freeman and Co. had taken care of business against BYU. Still, the game, which NBC will broadcast, will offer plenty of reason for everyone to tune in. It will almost still be the game of the week.
Notre Dame supporters will hope to see the Irish finally break through and get a big win. Haters, on the other hand, will hope to see the Hurricanes effectively end any CFP claim for the second straight year. Either way, ratings will skyrocket. They might even be higher, with an obvious potential CFP exit on the line.
Loser: Mike Denbrock
Any Notre Dame fan who watched UCF move up and down the field at will against BYU, especially late in the game, will have even more questions about Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock's game plan last week. Chief among the concerns was the number of fade routes into the end zone rather than mixing it up even a little.
Irish fans are upset with the plan they saw unfold last Saturday. BYU losing the very next week won’t assuage that frustration.
Loser: The Carr family
This loss is the only one that isn’t tied in some way to the BYU game. While CJ Carr rested and regrouped during the bye week, his little brother Tommy made his first career start. It was a bad one.
Yes, there are plenty of valid excuses. Not many true freshmen would love their first start to come against a defense like Indiana’s. Still, Carr was 20 of 32 for 167 yards and an interception. He was also sacked early and often and fumbled.
Yes, Michigan took Indiana to overtime, but that was entirely thanks to its defense. There’s a real question as to who will start for the Wolverines in their next game. It certainly seems like Bryce Underwood would get the job back.
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