Dabo's revenge and Notre Dame's failures: College football Week 10 winners and losers

Dabo’s revenge and Notre Dame’s failures: College football Week 10 winners and losers

CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 4: Cade Klubnik #2 of the Clemson Tigers hugs head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers during an on-field interview after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 31-23, at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2023 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images) /

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Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports /

College Football Week 10 loser: Notre Dame football

The Sam Hartman experiment has been a failure for Notre Dame football. There’s a chance that head coach Marcus Freeman will be viewed that way too.

At the very least, his first two seasons on the job were failures. Last season could be excused in some ways and Tyler Buchner was blamed for the struggles.

This season, Notre Dame football handpicked its quarterback in the transfer portal. Yet, in the five most difficult games on the schedule, Hartman hasn’t just been mid — he’s been terrible.

Against Duke, Ohio State, Louisville, Clemson, and USC (terrible on defense) — Hartman has averaged 184 yards per game while completing 48 percent of his passes. He’s also got just five touchdown passes compared to five interceptions.

Hartman was supposed to be the missing piece. Instead, he’s been the biggest problem and after Saturday’s loss, this Notre Dame football season will go down as a failure, even if the Fighting Irish win out.

It was playoff or bust and the Irish were out before the first College Football Playoff rankings were even released.

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