This was viewed as a trap game for the Irish. They were coming off two big wins against ranked teams. Notre Dame players were taking midterms during the days leading up to this game. The warm embrace of a bye week was awaiting the team immediately afterwards.
Their opponent, the Pittsburgh Panthers, boasts a history of upset victories over top-10 teams in recent years. They also came extremely close to ending Notre Dame’s quest for a trip to the national championship in 2012.
Despite the warning signs, many Irish fans felt confident heading into a matchup against a subpar Pittsburgh team.