LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Notre Dame’s already slim hopes for making the College Football Playoff ended Saturday night here, felled by another sluggish offensive performance.
Undefeated No. 25 Louisville’s 33–20 victory over the No. 10 Fighting Irish was powered by an explosiveness that Notre Dame lacks. Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan ripped off touchdown runs of 45 and 21 yards, while through the first 56 minutes of the game the Irish had no runs gain more than 13 yards and only one pass gain more than 15 yards.
Notre Dame is now 5–2 after a three-game gantlet against ranked and undefeated opponents, as the schedule turned up more difficult than expected. The Irish lost at home to Ohio State 17–14, giving up the winning touchdown with a second left. Then they won at Duke in remarkably similar fashion to the way they lost to the Buckeyes, driving late for a 21–14 victory. Here, Notre Dame was a mess offensively most of the night.
