Quick Recap: Notre Dame’s Playoff Chances Fold at the House of Cards

Jawhar Jordan rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, as No. 25 Louisville snapped No. 10 Notre Dame’s 30-game regular season win streak against ACC opponents, 33-20.

Jordan’s 45-yard burst to the end zone shifted the momentum after both teams traded field goals in the third quarter. And his second score, a 21-yarder, effectively put the nail in the coffin of Notre Dame’s playoff chances with 11:12 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Jack Plummer, in his third career game against the Irish, was serviceable in the win - going 17-for-24 for 145 yards and a touchdown. Eight of those catches were made by Jamari Thrash, who racked up 75 yards and a touchdown.

The Notre Dame run game was missing in action in their sojourn to L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, managing just 44 yards on 28 carries against an aggressive Cardinals defensive line. (Even adjusting for sacks, it was just 81 yards.)

Part of the problem stemmed from an unexplained rotation of offensive linemen, which may have been due to either injury or ineffectiveness. The Cardinals feasted, racking up eight tackles for loss — including five sacks.

Sam Hartman, playing alongside a rotating cast of wide receivers, was underwhelming: 22-for-38 for 254 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

The score was tied at 7 apiece at halftime, as Louisville was unable to capitalize on any drive after their first, a 12-play, 70-yard ramble that started after Hartman’s first interception in an Irish uniform.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, ran just 13 plays in their first three drives before embarking on an 11-play, 88-yard scoring drive that culminated in Jordan Faison’s first career touchdown. The walk-on freshman was playing in absence of Jaden Greathouse and Rico Flores Jr. (who was shaken up on an earlier play, but later returned).

After Louisville’s second of three three-and-outs, the Irish were driving again before facing a fourth-and-three on their own 43. The Irish elected to punt, but Louisville’s Ben Perry jumped offsides on the play and gifted Notre Dame a continuation.

The Irish squandered that, however, with a questionable third-and-one play on the Louisville 45 that was resulted in a muffed handoff and the Irish’s second of four turnovers of the night.

The two teams traded three-and-outs before a last gasp effort from the Cardinals before half to put additional points on the board. Louisville’s Brock Travelstead missed wide right from 42 yards and the teams remained deadlocked.

The two turnovers proved to be the difference in the first half, as the Irish had 150 net yards (128 passing, 22 rushing) to the host’s 125 (68 rushing, 58 passing). Both teams struggled mightily on third downs, going a combined 3-for-12 in the first two quarters.

Notre Dame never improved, ending the game 3-for-13 on third down chances and 0-for-2 on fourth down — which included a risky gamble while down 11 and sitting on their own 35.