Sometimes Notre Dame just has to thrash an old rival to reset itself as a program
Notre Dame took Michigan State to the woodshed in 2017 in a game that helped put the 2016 disaster to rest.
EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 23: Fighting Irish tight end Alize Mack (86) races toward the sideline looking to get upfield during a non-conference football game between Michigan State and Notre Dame on September 23, 2017, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. | Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images How one night in East Lansing helped Notre Dame remember who it was again There are games that define seasons, and then there are games that restore belief. By the time Notre Dame vs.
Michigan State kicked off on September 23, 2017, Notre Dame fans were still carrying the emotional scars of 2016. The Irish had stumbled to a shocking 4–8 season the year before, a season filled with close losses, defensive collapses, frustration, and a program that suddenly seemed to have lost its identity. Questions surrounded everything about Notre Dame football.
Could Brian Kelly still lead the program back? Had the toughness disappeared? Was Notre Dame falling permanently behind college football’s elite?
The first few weeks of the 2017 season hinted that things might be changing. Brandon Wimbush had brought new energy to the offense, Josh Adams was emerging as one of the most explosive running backs in the country, and the offensive line looked far more physical than it had the year before. But even with those encouraging signs, there was still hesitation among Irish fans.
Continue to the original source for the full article.