EVANSTON, Ill. — Losing any game is disappointing. And, in a vacuum, losing to Notre Dame, a team that claims to own your backyard, is particularly disappointing, especially when you have a chance to win.
Northwestern didn’t lose to Notre Dame in a vacuum, though. It lost after Purdue dispatched Iowa in West Lafayette, effectively knocking the Hawkeyes out of the Big Ten West race and handing Northwestern what amounts to a two-game lead in the division.
“We were really excited for this game, so very disappointed,” said senior offensive lineman Tommy Doles said after Northwestern’s 31-21 loss to Notre Dame Saturday.