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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman looks on in the second half of a NCAA football game against Texas A&M at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in South Bend. MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame Football Has an Identity Crisis

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By John Kennedy | Last updated Sep 14, 2025 5:06 AM ET

I've learned a valuable lesson in my decades of being a Notre Dame fan and content creator. Just when you think you've seen it all, and no game ending could crush you more than (insert latest heartbreaker here), said moment gets outdone. From Bush Push to 10 men on the field against Ohio State, and everything before and between, it's amazing to consider the ways the Irish have managed to lose big games.

Now comes the latest addition to the misery collection, as Notre Dame loses to Texas A&M by one point due to many extremely "Notre Damey" feeling mistakes and mishaps. The Irish have lost two games by a total of four points. Starting 0-2 isn't the biggest issue here, it's how 0-2 was arrived at that is.

Final

Texas A&M 41
Notre Dame 40
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 14, 2025

The Foundations of the Notre Dame program are regressing

In the modern era of college football, Notre Dame has built a consistent and winning program from the end of the Kelly era into the Freeman era based upon two rock-solid foundations. Overall defense and offensive line play. Unfortunately, both of these groups have regressed and can no longer be relied upon.

This is an existential issue. Without a solid defense and a reliable, strong offensive line, what is Notre Dame's identity right now? It doesn't have one. During the summer, I could certainly see a way the Irish could start 0-2, but the reason why was simple. I surmised that the most likely cause would be a struggling young QB who makes some mistakes that the great defense and offensive lines couldn't overcome.

If this had happened, sure, we'd all be frustrated, but there would be an understanding that Carr is young and he will rapidly develop, but at least you'd have the comfort of knowing your foundations are strong. The path taken to earn this 0-2 record is much more dangerous and darker than one of simple quarterback inexperience would be.

This is dangerous.

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Notre Dame has questions with no good answers

Once the dust settles emotionally from this latest catastrophe, the question becomes, how does Notre Dame dig its way out of this mess? This is a tough question to answer because the issues the Irish have are so many and so extreme. The Irish just gave up 41 points and 360 yards passing to an opponent at home. Notre Dame's defensive scheme is bad, and the execution of it is worse. There are no quick fixes to this issue.

As for the Irish offensive line, they did some nice things against the Aggies, but it isn't consistent enough to trust and has spurts of complete ineffectiveness on key downs. These factors lead to Notre Dame's best player, Jeremiyah Love, pressing and a young QB to fend for himself to save the day, everyday.

Notre Dame has lost two games by only four points, but it seems the biggest losses were in fact credibility and national respect due to how the losses were arrived at.

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

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