Porous defense ends Notre Dame's playoff hopes
It may only be Week 3, but any chance of No. 18 Notre Dame making the College Football Playoff went by the wayside Saturday thanks to its soft defense.
The embattled unit was gashed again in a 36-28 home loss to No. 12 Michigan State, giving up an astonishing 501 total yards to a team that wouldn't be confused for an offensive juggernaut.
Michigan State managed just 361 yards against lowly Furman in its season-opening victory, but had no such trouble piling up the totals on Brian Van Gorder's defense.
It's a disappointment for the Fighting Irish, who rebounded against an overmatched Nevada squad after a dismal Week 1 against Texas. It was no such story against the Spartans, though, and defense has been the team's biggest issue through three games.
| Opponent | Points Allowed | Rush Yards Allowed | Passing Yards Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 50 | 237 | 280 |
| Nevada | 10 | 99 | 201 |
| Michigan State | 38 | 260 | 241 |
Notre Dame fell behind 36-7 Saturday, before mounting a furious comeback, but the damage had already been done.
With a 1-2 record, the Fighting Irish can be eliminated from any playoff talk. While the team does have a very tough schedule, two losses from the independent program won't be good enough to see it through.
With 11 national championships, Notre Dame is certainly a storied program, but until Brian Kelly shores up the defense, 1988 will remain the last time the team reached the top of college football for some time.