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Aug 31, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) drops back to pass against the Miami Hurricanes during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Football: 5 Reasons For Optimism After the Miami Loss

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By John Kennedy | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 1:44 AM ET

There's no way to sugarcoat it. Notre Dame got off to a bad start to the 2025 season. Any week one loss is a brutal hit to morale for a program and fanbase, but having the loss be to a bitter rival makes it sting even more. Adding insult to injury is the way Notre Dame lost to Miami.

Having the defense and offensive line, two foundational staples of the Irish program, not play winning football, is an existential concern.

5 Reasons To Be Optimistic About Notre Dame Football

Now, the Irish have two weeks of soul-searching to do. Every part of this team needs to own the Miami game. Own the bad film review, own the bad game plans, own the poor execution, and correct it all fast.

The Texas A&M game is now an absolute must-win. And while the Miami game was rough, there are still reasons for hope that the Irish can salvage their season. Let's examine where that hope lies and why.

5. CJ Carr is going to be a great Notre Dame QB

For all of the chaos that came with the Miami game, CJ Carr handled his first start about as good as anyone could've hoped for. No, he wasn't perfect, but nobody could've expected him to be in this environment. The moment wasn't too big for him; he didn't panic, and we saw flashes of greatness.

Even in his very first start, Carr was actually one of the few players for Notre Dame who assumed leadership against Miami with his play on the field. That's great for the future of this program.

4. The offensive & defensive game plans were poor vs Miami

For as frustrating as the Miami game was for Notre Dame, I'm hopeful that some basic tweaks to the offensive and defensive game plans, both of which were beyond perplexing, could result in better results instantly.

Offensively, CJ Carr getting more carries than Jeremiyah Love is astonishing. Prioritizing Love and Price moving forward will help the young QB and the offense overall. This simple change will make a world of difference for this offense.

Defensively, NotreDame played passively, and that style of play does not fit the Irish talent, and it showed. I expect to see a much more aggressive plan moving forward after this first flop.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

3. Natural improvement from Week 1 to Week 2

It's been said that football teams generally make a big jump in quality of play between the first and second game. While that theory didn't hold up for Notre Dame in 2024, I think it will in 2025.

Notre Dame now has some data, saw what worked and didn't vs Miami, and can course correct in terms of personnel and approach.

2. What are the odds of Notre Dame playing like that two games in a row?

Against Miami, not only were the offensive game plans on both sides of the ball poor, but so was the execution of the plans. None of Notre Dame's captains played winning football. I find it impossible to believe this trend continues.

I fully expect this team to be highly motivated against Texas A&M and to play a much crisper and more intense brand of football. The Irish's alleged "best players" didn't make plays against the Hurricanes, and I just don't think this will be an ongoing occurrence.

1. Marcus Freeman teams bounce back

Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame teams have a history of bouncing back coming off of bad losses in his first three seasons. This history suggests that the Irish will play a much better brand of football against Texas A&M, and this is a requirement in order to save the season.

For more Irish news & notes, follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube, Patreon and on your preferred audio podcast provider

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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