The Notre Dame Fighting Irish hit the 2024 college football season running, winning a top-25 matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies in a hostile environment. The statement win had many people looking at the rest of the Irish’s schedule and figuring that they were a shoo-in to make the new look 12-team College Football Playoff.
There’s a reason the games are played on the field instead of paper. In the very next game, the Fighting Irish suffered what is undoubtedly going to be in the running for the biggest upset of the season across the entire sport, and what many are calling the worst loss in program history.
The Northern Illinois Huskies came into South Bend and left with a shocking 16-14 victory over the Fighting Irish. Afterward, Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock couldn’t hold back the emotions.
"All these guys have been with our program, lived through the ups and downs and have continued to fight. It's like they're my kids…I just couldn't be more proud."
An emotional NIU coach Thomas Hammock moments after the Huskies beat Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/3nSI7Sm7MY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 7, 2024
“They believed. And we came here and got it done,” Hammock said through swelling tears. “All these guys have been with our program, lived through the ups and downs, and have continued to fight. It’s like they’re my kids… I just couldn’t be more proud.”
If the Huskies can keep up the momentum, they may be the ones in the new-look playoff.
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