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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/laprasrules on 2025-07-24 17:58:21+00:00.
I was reflecting on the NIU over ND threads that pop up on r/CFB occasionally. I’m firmly in the camp that the loss to NIU was the catalyst that drove ND to make it to the final game last year. Without that loss, I’m not sure that ND gets through teams like Georgia and Penn St in the playoffs.
That got me wondering. What are other examples of surprising, frustrating or unexpected losses that have similarly catalyzed teams to perform better?