(Photo: Joe Weiser)
Winning football games is a hard thing to do.
What seemed easy and routine in 2024 has become maddeningly difficult in 2025. The Fighting Irish are battling, but every mistake is now magnified, and through two games every drive has felt like an uphill climb. What was supposed to be an outstanding season has turned into an excruciating test of grit.
ND has lost its first two games by a combined total of just 4 points—gut-punch defeats to arguably two of the best teams in the nation. That margin shows just how close the Irish have been, but it also underscores the brutal reality: close doesn’t count on the scoreboard. Notre Dame has plummeted in the rankings.
Offensively, there is reason for optimism. The quarterback position, considered by most to be the team’s biggest question mark entering the year, has been answered it by CJ Carr playing well through two games. He’s kept the Irish competitive in high-scoring affairs and shown the poise and playmaking ability that gives Notre Dame a chance to win even when the defense struggles.
Other facets of the offense have flashed. On Saturday, the Irish running back tandem of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for 215 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. Tight end Eli Rairdon continued his strong start to the season, and Malachi Fields had five catches. That’s good football.
Good offensive football, that is.
Because the team’s biggest problems are glaringly on the defensive side of the ball. With just one sack and four tackles for loss through two games, the Irish haven’t generated consistent pressure or forced mistakes. The pass defense has been especially concerning. In 2024, Al Golden’s unit was elite, allowing just 169.4 passing yards per game and limiting quarterbacks to a 52.1% completion rate. Fast forward to 2025, and Notre Dame has allowed over 280 passing yards per game, including 360 yards and two touchdowns at the hands of Marcel Reed and Texas A&M.
The contrast is stark.
Leadership seems to be missing. Last year’s stars—Jack Kiser, Xavier Watts, and Rylie Mills—provided production and poise. Without them, and with a new defensive coordinator in Chris Ash installing a fresh system, the growing pains are obvious. Right now, this unit looks nothing like the disruptive, disciplined defense Al Golden built—and fans are feeling that loss. And Ash is hearing about it.
Postgame, Marcus Freeman was candid about the struggles. “It’s not good enough. Not good enough in the run and pass, not good enough getting pressure on the quarterback,” he said. “We have to get better at both rush and coverage. I don’t have the answer for you right now… but we have to get better.” He also pointed to big plays as the defense’s undoing: “That’s the number one reason—it is the explosive plays. Why were there explosive plays? I’m sure it’s about pressure, I’m sure it’s about the coverage… there’s probably a lot of reasons. But it wasn’t good enough with the standard.”
After all, who would have thought that if Notre Dame put up 40 points on Texas A&M, there was any chance they’d walk away with a loss?
Now the Irish turn their attention to next week’s matchup with Purdue. Last year’s 1–11 Boilermakers, who ND blasted 66–7 in week three, are long gone. Barry Odom, a veteran coach who has won wherever he’s been, leads a team with over 70 new names on the roster. So far in 2025, Purdue has done something Notre Dame has not: win football games. The Boilermakers are 2–1, with their only loss a respectable 33–17 defeat at the hands of USC. This is a very different Purdue team, and the Irish will have to be sharp and disciplined to come out on top.
It’s not just another game on the schedule; it’s a chance to reset, prove they can finish, and keep their bigger goals alive. Last week, the mantra was “0-2 is not an option.” Now, it’s been replaced by an even starker reality: “0-3 would be a disaster.”
With each passing week, 2025 is slipping further from their grasp, and the Irish must act now before all opportunity disappears.