Why Notre Dame Won’t Have A Letdown Versus NC State
Former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz (1986‑96) — who achieved his first national renown while at North Carolina State from 1972‑75 — was deemed as one of the great motivators in the game’s history.
“Motivation is simple,” explained the man who would be known as “Dr. Lou” to a more recent generation. “You eliminate those who aren’t motivated.”
Yet even he acknowledged that during a college football season, a team will reach an emotional peak maybe three times — and then for each peak a valley is inevitable. Crucial to overcoming is that on the days you are a little more flat and lethargic, you still can out-talent the opposition. The “L Word” — letdown — often is a part of athletics, or daily life.
It happened to Holtz in 1993 when the week after his team defeated No. 1 Florida State (31-24), the newly top-ranked Irish fell at home to a Boston College team it had crushed 54-7 a year earlier, costing them the national title.
This year’s 6-1 North Carolina State team might remind one of that 1993 Boston College unit.
Like the ’93 Eagles, the ’17 Wolfpack don’t recruit, on paper, at the same level as Notre Dame. Whereas the Irish typically rank among the top 10 to top 15 in recruiting, NC State’s aggregate rating is 42 the past five seasons on Rivals.com.
However, both BC ’93 and NC State ‘17 possess a savvy, veteran quarterback (redshirt junior Ryan Finley, while BC had Glenn Foley); a dominant, projected first-round defensive lineman (senior Bradley Chubb, while BC had Mike Mamula); and a wealth of experience across the board. Along with Georgia, which won 20-19 at Notre Dame Sept. 9, NC State is the most veteran team the Irish face this year, highlighted by the fact that its entire starting front seven on defense is comprised of seniors.
With the huge volume of experience returning to the fold — highlighted by a stellar defensive line — this was a make-or-break year for fifth-year head coach Dave Doeren, who entered this season 25-26 with the Wolfpack, but more significantly a 9-23 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Throughout Doeren’s tenure, the Wolfpack have usually acquitted themselves well against the top competition on the schedule — i.e. Clemson and Florida State last year — but poor outcomes against equal or lesser foes left the fans in Raleigh restless. This year, North Carolina State finally upset Florida State and are classified as a dark horse in the ACC race.
There also are two dynamics that make this a potentially favorable situation for the Wolfpack, even though it must play on the road.
The first is Notre Dame will be coming off a highly emotional contest against archrival USC the previous week. It would therefore seem ripe for the letdown, from the outside looking in.
Second, North Carolina State will be coming off a bye after winning six straight games. The bye benefitted Notre Dame versus USC. Will it do the same for NC State versus the Irish?
Nevertheless, I submit four reasons why Notre Dame will not have a letdown:
• One, this is not like 1993 with Florida State/Boston College back-to-back at home.
When you beat No. 1 Florida State— a team that many felt was among the best in college football history — to get to No. 1 in the 10th game of the 1993 season, it was easier to believe that “the toughest part is behind us” — especially when your next and final regular-season opponent is someone you crushed 54-7 a year earlier and now have home again.
It is the opposite this year. Notre Dame is ranked only No. 9 now, not No. 1. It defeated a good but far from great USC team, not No. 1 FSU, and knows the destination it wants to reach is far from complete.
• Two, while ’17 NC State team has the look of the ’93 BC team in personnel, the two situations and mindsets are completely different. As mentioned, the Irish had crushed the Eagles the year before 54-7. It’s only human nature to think you are better and shouldn’t have many problems.
Conversely, Notre Dame lost 10-3 at North Carolina State last season. Yes, the conditions weren’t ideal, but both teams had to play in them. There is a proving ground now to demonstrate you are indeed better.
• Three, let’s not forget Notre Dame was still the favorite last week at home versus USC and did not have to fight to the final minute in the 49-14 win.
I regularly point out that in perhaps the three greatest upsets in school history — the 1928 One For The Gipper versus Army, the 1935 comeback for the ages at unbeaten Ohio State and the 1957 win at Oklahoma to snap the Sooners’ NCAA-record 47-game winning streak — the Irish came back home the next week and lost. They were classic letdowns.
But in each of those shocking Notre Dame wins the previous week it was a huge underdog and had to battle right down to the final minute, if not final play, to eke out the stunner. That has a way of sapping and expending every ounce of energy for the long haul.
There was no such problem versus USC last week. If anything, the blowout invigorated the entire operation even more and made the Irish hungrier while believing there is no ceiling on what can be achieved. This is a ravenously hungry football team that cannot wait to prove itself again, as opposed to, “Wow, gee whiz, no one thought we’d be here today.”
Finally, after last season’s 4-8 campaign, the Irish are cognizant of how success can be fleeting and to not get away from what has dramatically brought them to this point. Head coach Brian Kelly pointed this out well earlier this week.
North Carolina State is a strong team capable of winning at Notre Dame this weekend. But if it does, it won’t be because of any Fighting Irish mental letdown.
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