The University of Notre Dame football team (7-2) won its second consecutive game at sold out Notre Dame Stadium (77,622) with a 58-7 thumping of Pittsburgh (2-5). The Irish defense was suffocating yet again, holding the Panthers to just 255 total yards, 53 rush yards and just one single touchdown.
Notre Dame, for the second straight game, scored in all three phases of football to claim the victory. Chris Tyree lit up the scoreboard first with an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown. Audric Estimé scored three rushing touchdowns and finished the game with 114 yards. Sam Hartman (to start) and Steve Angeli (in relief) connected with 12 different receivers for 380 passing yards and one touchdown.
The third phase to score was the Irish defense, which intercepted three passes in the game with one returned by sophomore Jaden Mickey for a 43-yard touchdown. Mickey combined with Xavier Watts (two interceptions) and freshman Christian Gray to intercept Pitt four times.
Mickey’s big play was part of a 27-point third quarter for Notre Dame, which also recovered a muffed punt in the end zone for a touchdown.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The box score tells the tale of a 58-7 victory, but Notre Dame’s offensive start was not indicative of the rest of the contest. Hartman threw two interceptions on the first two offensive series for Notre Dame (one was on a tipped pass), but the turnovers were sandwiched by Tyree’s big punt return and the Irish maintained their momentum through the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Notre Dame compiled its first offensive scoring drive of the game when Estimé burst out for a 33-yard run, Rico Flores Jr. made a 12-yard catch to the Pitt 15 and Estimé took it in from there. His 15-yard touchdown was through a huge hole on the right side of the Irish line, highlighted by wide receiver Jayden Thomas’ text book block of the Pitt safety.
On the next drive, Pitt assembled its first decent drive of the game to get to the Notre Dame 25-yard line. A loss of two, then two errant passes from defensive quarterback pressures led to a 45-yard field goal attempt which was far left of the goal posts.
Notre Dame’s offense didn’t move the ball on their next opportunity, but Xavier Watts intercepted his first pass of the game at the Pitt 38-yard line and returned it to the 15 just before halftime. A Notre Dame penalty on the return set them back to the 30-yard line and the Irish had to settle for a 23-yard field goal from Spencer Shrader for a 17-0 lead at halftime.
Pitt received the second half kick but continued to be stymied by the Irish defense. Two pass break ups, one from Mickey and one from Liufau, forced a punt and the Irish offense struck quickly. A 60-yard reception by Flores moved the ball to the 20-yard line, Estimé rumbled for 10 yards and Jadarian Price entered the backfield to power in for a 10-yard rushing touchdown.
Just three plays later, Mickey’s ‘pick six’ put the Irish up 31-0 and the rout was on.
The interception party continued on the next drive when Christian Gray rose up to tip, then pull in a pass at the 50-yard line. Notre Dame’s offense stalled but it ended up not mattering because Pittsburgh muffed the punt on a hit from Devyn Ford at the six-yard line. The ball skittered into the end zone where Ramon Henderson jumped on the loose ball for a Notre Dame touchdown.
Pitt was still unable to move the ball on its next drive. Hartman connected with Tobias Merriweather for 42 yards to the Pitt five-yard line after the Panther punt. Estimé bulled in from three yards out one play later for his second score of the day.
Yet another Irish defensive stop brought in Steve Angeli at quarterback. His first pass was a 33-yard swing pass to Jeremiyah Love for 33 yards. Estimé eventually capped the drive with his third score from five yards out.
Pittsburgh spoiled the shut out with a touchdown drive against Notre Dame’s reserve defense, but the quick score allowed the Irish to get one more scoring drive with Angeli. He found a wide open Cooper Flanagan in the end zone for a 24-yard strike to give the Irish freshman tight end his first career catch and touchdown.