How last season ended must drive Notre Dame's next... - The Athletic

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The coda to Notre Dame’s season was written nine days after the fact by one of the architects of the finale, that blowout loss to Clemson in the Cotton Bowl that somehow called into question the program’s College Football Playoff credentials despite a perfect regular season.

The gravitational pull of that 30-3 loss was that great, tethering the Irish to a history they just can’t seem to outrun under Brian Kelly. Eight consecutive major bowl losses. Most by blowout. All surgically removing benefit of the doubt around the program.

And yet, barely a week after Notre Dame’s depth was exposed, its coaching staff was questioned and its ceiling in the modern world of Clemson and/or Alabama was set, the Irish were given a reprieve late Monday night. At Levi’s Stadium after Clemson’s demolition of Alabama in the national title game, Tigers co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott was explaining why 44-16 wasn’t that much of a...

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