Notre Dame's finish this season was the worst 9 game

stretch in Jackson's tenure here, at least when considering just wins and losses. The Irish limped home 1-8 over the final 9 games, including losses in 5 straight games to close the season. The worst losing streak under Jackson was in 2020, when Notre Dame lost 6 games in a row on the way to a .500 finish. Two other times the team lost 5 in a row under Jackson, in February of 2012 and again a season later, in January of 2013.

You have to go back to 2005 and Poulin's last season to find a worse 9 game showing, as that team lost their final 9 games. That skid was preceded by a 9 game stretch where they went 0-8-1. That tie was at the end of the run, so the 2005 season ended on a 0-17-1 run. It was a shocking finish to follow up a season where Notre Dame won 20 games and made their first ever NCAA tournament.

This year's finish will almost certainly have come against 4 teams that are bound for the NCAA tournament, so it isn't like they were playing chopped liver. But I think it also is a huge warning shot that we are miles and miles away from where we used to be, and where we really could still be.