You can be both.
A team that wants to win a national title enters the LA Coliseum with the mentality to curb stomp. ND’s gamepan early on was to manage the game against a freshman QB and a 5-6 team.
ND gave them hope, which made this a much tougher game than it needed to be. Mystified at the cushion ND’s defense was giving the USC receivers.
Again, thrilled to be 12-0. But this game was ugly and gives one little hope of challenging Bama for the title. That’s not negative. That’s knowing what the goal is and what it takes to accomplish it.