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South Bend, Ind. • Losing to TCU and seeing their BCS and conference title hopes shattered was bad enough for the No. 15 Utah Utes.

But Saturday's 28-3 loss to a struggling Notre Dame team? It's a defeat that the Utes couldn't explain away.

Notre Dame (5-5), a team that had five starters out with injuries and is desperate to become bowl eligible, handed the Utes (8-2) one of their worst road losses under Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.

"We were riding high and had won eight in a row and now dropped the last two — I can tell you we aren't feeling good about ourselves right now," Whittingham said. "We have two games left, and we have to rebound. … Everyone has to search as individuals and find what can make us a better football team. … We have to move forward, but we are reeling a bit right now."

The Utes are reeling, with two more possible big punches coming at them.

If the Utes can't beat a team that just lost to Tulsa on this same field and was led by a freshman quarterback making his first start, how will they fare next week against a good San Diego State team and a BYU squad that has suddenly found some offense?

After Saturday's showing, it's conceivable that the Utes' season could spiral downward, especially since few Utes seemed to know what their issues are.

"There is a lot of them," quarterback Jordan Wynn said. "I don't know just one. We need to go out and play better and make plays. I thought we were fine coming in, but we just didn't play well."

Utah's players said all week they weren't going to let TCU beat them twice after the 47-7 thrashing of a week ago. They wanted to use the opportunity of a rare national TV appearance and show what kind of team they are, they said.

What evolved Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium wasn't what they had in mind, as the Utes fell apart underneath the shadow of Touchdown Jesus.

The difference between the two games was that TCU came out and pounded the Utes. On Saturday, the Utes beat themselves early.

Penalties, turnovers and poor execution doomed them against the Irish.

The lowlights were 11 penalties for 70 yards, an interception thrown by Wynn, a fumble by Shaky Smithson on the opening kickoff of the second half, and a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown.

"Two weeks in a row, we have played subpar," Whittingham said. "We are playing sound teams, but we have to go back and look at the tape and evaluate everything."

Most unsettling was a lack of offense from the Utes for the second week in a row. After averaging 45 points a game through the first eight contests, the Utes have mustered only 10 points combined in the past two. Wynn, who had two interceptions and a fumble against TCU, threw an interception in the first quarter Saturday and finished 24-of-39 for 194 yards.

Whittingham said it crossed his mind to replace Wynn with backup Terrance Cain, but, like last week, he decided his quarterback wasn't the only one who was struggling.

"We have to dissect the entire film," Whittingham said. "It's not just Jordan. We talked last week, but if there is nowhere to go with the ball, what is he supposed to do? It's a team effort, not just on Jordan."

Even at halftime, the Utes felt they could get back in the game, trailing just 14-3. But Smithson fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, and Notre Dame scored on the next play when Tommy Rees threw a 26-yard touchdown to Duval Kamara.

After that, all hope seemed to fade for the Utes.

"Maybe it was a lack of focus, I guess. I don't know what it was," offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom said. "I don't know. I don't have all the answers. I wish I did."

lwodraska@sltrib.comTwitter: @lyawodraska —

Storylines

R In short • Utah loses its second game in a row for the first time since the 2007 season, as Notre Dame pounds the Utes for a 28-3 win.

Key moment • Utah returner Shaky Smithson fumbles the kickoff to open the second half. Notre Dame recovers and scores on its next play, a 26-yard pass, to make it 21-3.

Key stat • Notre Dame's win is its first against a ranked opponent since the 2006 season, breaking a streak of 11 consecutive losses.