Notre Dame Football: 3 takeaways from ugly Cotton Bowl loss to Clemson

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks to pass in the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 29: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball against Austin Bryant #7 of the Clemson Tigers in the second half during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

3. Notre Dame’s offense couldn’t move the ball

Notre Dame struggled to get the ball down the field all game long. Ian Book didn’t have much time to throw, and a talented offensive line was overmatched for much of the game.

Book has been dynamic throwing the ball and making plays with his feet this year, but the Tigers defensive line gave him fits all game long. He finished just 17-for-34 with 160 yards passing and an interception.

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He didn’t do much on the ground either (17 carries for 30 yards), and the entire team couldn’t do much even with Dexter Lawrence out. The Fighting Irish averaged just two and a half yards per carry with 88 total rushing yards.

The Fighting Irish offense hit a buzzsaw against Clemson, and while the team reached double-digit wins, clearly they are still a few key recruits away from being a major player in the national championship picture.

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