Notre Dame Football: 5 Reasons Irish upset Clemson in Cotton Bowl

1. Being the underdog could work out in Notre Dame’s favor.

It is no secret that Notre Dame is the big time underdog in this one. The college football world has had no issue looking at the Fighting Irish and quite basically saying that they aren’t fit to be in the same sentence as the likes of Alabama, Clemson and even Oklahoma, you know that team that didn’t go undefeated but found their way into the Playoff anyway.

Of course, the Irish take quite a bit of offense to that as they have found their way to 12-0 despite struggle after struggle and close call after close call. This team has pushed, clawed, fought and whatever else they had to do to get to where they are right now and they are not going to let this one get away without a fight- no way no how.

Go ahead and say that Notre Dame hasn’t played enough big time teams. They will laugh and show you how they beat Michigan. Go ahead and tell them that they have struggled against teams that aren’t all that great and they will tell you that each near loss was a lesson learned that brought them to the point that they are now. Go ahead and call the Irish the underdog because that is exactly where they want to be.

This level of disrespect for a team that sits at 12-0, especially one that has already been embarrassed on College Football’s biggest stage just a few years ago when they were routed by Alabama in the BCS Championship of 2013, stings for the Notre Dame locker room. I promise you they have taken note of the lack in belief in them. The Irish will be ready to go and their lack of support by the rest of the nation will only fuel their fire.