SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame chewed on its two-point loss to Clemson a little longer than normal, with the disappointment festering beyond the 24 hours normally allotted after a game. But with Navy’s efficient triple option rolling into South Bend this weekend, the Irish can’t let the aftershocks of a frustrating defeat affect an important week of practice leading up to Saturday.
“Navy presents a very difficult challenge,” coach Brian Kelly said. “We cannot let Clemson beat us twice.”
A year ago, Notre Dame played Navy following a crushing loss — and a bye week — at Florida State. The Irish won, 49-39, at FedEx Field then went on a four-game losing streak that had far more to do with Joe Schmidt’s season-ending injury than a hangover from that four-point loss in Tallahassee.
Notre Dame’s depth was exposed in that November collapse, which saw Kelly’s side go from a potential playoff contender to 7-5 by the end of the month. Had Notre Dame won out, it would’ve been in the playoff discussion at 11-1 (though, likely, behind Ohio State, Baylor and TCU).
[MORE NOTRE DAME: Notre Dame optimistic about Quenton Nelson, Tyler Luatua cleared]
The difference in 2015 is Notre Dame’s top-end talent and depth, both of which are significantly improved compared to 2014’s wobbly early season success.
“I think that's a different team, last year's team, this year's team, leadership is different, the players are different,” Kelly said. “We'll be at home. We have to travel back on the road to Arizona State last year. So being at home certainly makes a big difference, not having to travel. Certainly a different makeup of this group from a leadership standpoint.”
While the teams are different, the stakes are similar this year. Notre Dame has “no other option,” as linebacker Joe Schmidt said, than to win its final seven games. An 11-1 Notre Dame team is in the mix to make the College Football Playoff, but isn’t guaranteed a spot.
[MORE NOTRE DAME: Notre Dame goes ‘on the clock’ for playoff push]
The first step is getting past Navy, which is a good team — it's undefeated and ranks 29th in Football Outsiders’ F/+ ratings — that’s given Notre Dame scares in 2013 and 2014. Kelly voted for Navy as a top-25 team in the USA Today coaches poll, too, serving as a reminder to his team and anyone listening that Notre Dame can’t overlook the Mids with USC looming a week after.
This is the challenge of trying to win out. There’s no room for the mistakes that cropped up against Clemson to return.
“I don't know,” Kelly said when asked if a one-loss Irish team makes the playoff. “But we do know what we can control, and that is winning each week. So what we really talked about is we have no margin for error, and we have to pay attention to every detail. It was really about the focus of this group is one week at a time. Each game is the biggest and most important game we play and really focusing on that. (It isn’t to) concern yourself with big picture. You really have to focus on one week at a time.”