The case for Notre Dame as a College Football Playoff contender in 2016 rested on the notion that its prowess on one side of the ball would outweigh its deficiencies on the other. The Irish would need their offense to carry them through a demanding-if-manageable schedule. If they were to lose, it'd be because the opponent kept the game in the 20s or below.
On Saturday in South Bend, the hazards of such an imbalanced profile—good offense, really bad defense—were laid bare in one of the few games that seemed like a sure W on the schedule entering the season.