What loss is worse -2005 USC or 2023 Ohio State?

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DCK_1981

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I feel I echo others in saying once they got the 4th down I had a bad feeling. Once they got 3rd and 19 I knew. The whole time in the back of my mind thought I thought “we’ve stopped them most of the game, watch us piss it away now.” And they lived up to it.
 
Plankton

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The 2005 USC loss was tough, but after the absolute crap show that were the Davie-Willingham years, it seemed to be a sign that Weis was going to restore the luster to Notre Dame football in short order. Talk about your all-time misses.

This one is worse because this year in college football is absolutely wide open for the title with there being no dominant team, and with Hartman, Notre Dame was positioned pretty well to compete. This was a game that they should have won, and rather than find a way to win, they found a way to lose. Close enough isn't enough.
 
IRISHDODGER

IRISHDODGER

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Bluto said:
Why does everyone keep saying this OSU team isn’t very good? They’re the number four team in the country. Lol.
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I would hope ND (esp the coaching staff) would take this as a wake up call and challenge to run the table b/c it’s very attainable. It won’t be eay b/c they have Duke next week and SCum soon after but if they can stay focused & healthy while learning from their mistakes in tonight’s game, every game is winnable. I believe this was the best D they will face all year but that still doesn’t minimize the challenge of running the table and finishing 11-1
 
IRISHDODGER

IRISHDODGER

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GATTACA! said:
This one hurts so bad because this really feels like a wide open year. There aren't any juggernauts this season.
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True but ND still has a chance to finish 11-1. It won’t be easy b/c it’s hard to get up every week but if they can at least get up for Duke, SC & Clemson and then handle the other five, it’s possible.
 
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IrishTusker

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IRISHDODGER said:
True but ND still has a chance to finish 11-1. It won’t be easy b/c it’s hard to get up every week but if they can at least get up for Duke, SC & Clemson and then handle the other five, it’s possible.
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Doubt 11-1 cuts it, but whatever. Just focus on next week.
 
OhioIrish

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2005 and it ain’t close. That USC team was the evil empire and an absolute juggernaut. This OSU team is our equal, but not better. It was a brutal loss, but this program’s identity and trajectory are solid — Marcus has essentially closed the gap with all teams but Georgia in 18 games as HC. Two good teams played a close game tonight, 2005 was more special, it was David v. Goliath.
 
IrishSteelhead

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This one is by far #1 for me personally.

The ND mystique and torch was still burning in 05 despite a decade of futility, and the loss didn’t do much in terms of extinguishing that fire. If anything, the general narrative afterwards was they could be great again.

This game felt like a firehouse was used to put out a burning candle, and the hose stayed on overnight to ensure a flame will never ignite again. Nobody will ever say we can be great again after this one. They may cite curses, etc, but it’s gonna be hard for anyone to ever buy an ounce of hype now.

If we ever look back at our lives and have to pinpoint the exact moment ND Football died, we will realize it was 9/23/23.

Yes, I’m still feeling it, hence the dramatic explanation.


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ulukinatme

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Both games felt similar in the end, but this ND team was better than OSU and they shot themselves in the foot. OSU has 3 points going into the final minute if we get a holding call on the busted long run. On the flip side USC was better than us in '05 and we should/could have pulled off the upset if the PAC-12 doesn't botch the push. Both games were winnable, but talent wise USC was a lot better than OSU and it's the difference between a big upset in '05 and a very winnable game in '23.
 
NDPhilly

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I was 9 in 2005 so this is #1 for me. We havent outplayed a premier program like that just to choke it away in my lifetime.

UGA v ND 2019 under rated as up there as well. Essentially played UGA even on their home field, as they were ranked #3 in the country, Kelly might still be our coach if we won that one.

Some of the early 2010s Michigan losses were pretty bad as well.
 
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PutuporShutup

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This one in 2023. 2005 would have been a major upset, as we were not as good as them and we were not capable of winning a title

This year 2023, we were better than OSU, and more importantly, our team is capable of winning a title, we're hanging on by a thread now.
 
NDohio

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IrishSteelhead said:
This one is by far #1 for me personally.

The ND mystique and torch was still burning in 05 despite a decade of futility, and the loss didn’t do much in terms of extinguishing that fire. If anything, the general narrative afterwards was they could be great again.

This game felt like a firehouse was used to put out a burning candle, and the hose stayed on overnight to ensure a flame will never ignite again. Nobody will ever say we can be great again after this one. They may cite curses, etc, but it’s gonna be hard for anyone to ever buy an ounce of hype now.

If we ever look back at our lives and have to pinpoint the exact moment ND Football died, we will realize it was 9/23/23.

Yes, I’m still feeling it, hence the dramatic explanation.


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This is an interesting take. I see the two events as 180 degrees differently than you do.

Bush Push completely shook my faith in ND getting back to great. Having the monstrosity that was USC football on the ropes and letting it get away felt like the path to being great again was going to be arduous. If ND couldn't put away that game, then the mystique of the football program was gone. Just how I felt in that moment.

As bad as Saturday was, for me it shows the progress that ND is making. ND was the better team Saturday and some coaching mistakes at the end of the game were the cause for the loss. For 55 minutes, ND was the better team and had the game won. During the Kelly era when ND played a top ten team tight I always felt like we were playing above our true capabilities. Saturday felt different. It felt like this is the new floor and things will go up from here.

Now, if ND lays an egg against Duke I may join you in your despair...
 
IRISHDODGER

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Both games were heartbreakers & had one seemingly impossible pass play for a 1st down conversion that secured the win at the final moment.

We don’t know how MF will respond but we know that the SCum game led to Weis getting a ridiculous contract extension by the inept AD (who is lauded for his time at Duke but IMO was horrible at ND)
 
Irish#1

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If you go by simple logic, the OSU game has to be it. ND wasn't supposed to beat USC in '05. However, is there any reason they both can't be equally hurtful?
 
Terry Jillery

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I think it hurts more bc more time has gone by since a championship. In 2005 it had only been 17 years since a title.

The loss sucks bc we aren’t usually good enough to actually compete with the top teams and that includes 2012. It could be decades before we are good enough to be competitive again.

That said, it seems to have done nothing to derail recruiting. Perhaps them seeing the atmosphere and how close we are is actually a positive. Recruiting is what is going to push us over that hump. But at the end of the day, as we’ve seen, it takes a QB. If we need to go to the portal, so be it. It’s time to be this good year in and year out. If we are, the title hopes go up exponentially with good recruiting.

Winning out will keep recruits confidence that Freeman is the guy. Then it all boils down to finding the next Hartman.
 
IrishSteelhead

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2011 Michigan gave me similar feelings, but they were many degrees below this, because they lost to USF the week before, and you knew Tommy Rees would be the quarterback the rest of the season.


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tussin said:
Last Saturday sucked but I really can't make any sense of this take whatsoever.
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Agree, unless the season starts to crumble, that would start vs Duke. I don't think it will, but if we have a 9-3 or 8-4 season, it will put freeman on the hot seat (rightfully so), let me and many others know he's not the right person, then we're back to the drawing board.

Bad losses happen, bad losses 2 weeks in a row to a really good team don't happen, unless you have a coaching problem.
 
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