is that everyone knows we aren't that good.
During any given season in which we claw and scratch our way to victory and get more than a few lucky bounces, I know ND will end up soiling themselves when the stakes get REALLY high against an elite opponent. The program has an elite heritage but no longer has an elite mindset. So when push comes to shove, they probably have doubts about their ability to compete against the best, and this ends up manifesting in their performance. The subsequent beatdown merely affirms everyone's doubts, completing the feedback loop and reinforcing the vicious cycle for the next failed return to glory.
However, in this case the season has just started and the stakes aren't that high in this game, i.e., everyone knows we are not that good, hence expectations are low. That's the only thing I'm hanging my hat on. The much lighter weight on our shoulders and the possibility that everyone will just relax and play. Not much, I know, but it's something.