UHND.com - Notre Dame Football, Basketball, & Recruiting

"Pollyanna's". Yes, i know that they did not make up the term, but it is still an interesting coincidence.

I am not a PollyAnna, but I am also not a ChickenLittle.
I am not a Swarbrick lover nor am I a Swarbrick hater - I see him as a mixed bag. (People over there at NDNation tend to have a constantly negative attitude and refer to anyone who does not hate Swarbrick as a PollyAnna).

There is not one person here who is unaware that we lost to NIU. It was an inexcusable loss to explain to Notre Dame fans. However, as we have learned from the CFP committee, they look at how much a team has improved and have also mentioned the "eye test" very conveniently on many occasions. So it is NOT an unexplainable loss to the CFP, if it is the only one.
Notre Dame would destroy NIU if they could play them again. It was a let down game, but also, ND has improved markedly since then. (esp Riley Leonard after having missed the entire Spring and summer camps with an injury, and this does not even include improvement of the OL).

ND had a good schedule made for 2024 which included 1)Texas A&M away, 2)Louisville at home, 3)FSU at home, 4)Miami at home, and 5)USC away.
Miami reneged on the game and paid an penalty fee in order to avoid the tough game
FSU surprisingly fell completely apart after going undefeated in the regular season last year and being ranked in the top 4.
USC has lost 5 games - they lost to UM by 3 in Ann Arbor, MN by 7 at MN, PSU by 3 in OT, and UW by 5.

It is clear that any weakness in the schedule was not a foreseeable event for which blame should be assigned. I get sick when other fans say this stuff. I certainly don't expect it from our own fans (except on the acidic NDNation site).
I like you Woodstock, but the criticism is unfair.