Irish Bludgeon Black Knights In Yankee Stadium 49-14

The University of Notre Dame football team (10-1) rushed for 275 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-14 rout of No. 18 Army in a Shamrock Series game in Yankee Stadium on Saturday evening. The Irish scored two quick touchdowns and were never threatened, holding Army’s offense to just 233 total yards.

Jeremiyah Love highlighted the Irish offensive effort, rushing for 130 yards for the second consecutive game. His 68-yard run early in the third quarter put an end to any drama in the game. Riley Leonard was an efficient 10-of-13 passing for 148 yards and two touchdowns. 

Notre Dame’s defense stifled the vaunted Army rushing attack, which managed to rush for 207 yards but only 3.6 yards per carry. The Black Knight’s tough running quarterback Bryce Daily accounted for both Army touchdowns on short scoring runs, but the Irish defense had five tackles for loss and one sack. Safety Adon Shuler and linebacker Jaiden Ausberry were all over the field, piling up career highs with 8 tackles (Shuler) and seven stops (Ausberry). 

Notre Dame held Army to just 233 total yards, marking the sixth opponent the defense has held to 250 or less of total offense. The last time Notre Dame held six opponents to under 250 total yards was 1983.

The game started by following a perfect script for the Irish. The defense earned a quick three-and-out and the offense efficiently moved the ball down the field. Love broke off a 13-yard run on the first play, then two completed passes earned another first down. After a Love nine-yard run, Leonard found Jordan Faison open by five yards at the four-yard line and the Irish wideout easily scored for the first touchdown of the day. 

The Irish defense put the ball back in the offense’s hands just a few plays later and in great scoring position. Junior Tuihalamaka and Rylie Mills combined for a sack to force a three-and-out. Freshman defensive end Bryce Young, who has flirted with a big blocked punt all year, finally pulled one off. The Army punter bobbled the snap just enough to allow Young to get a hand on it for a clean block. It was picked up by Rod Heard for a short return to the Army seven-yard line. 

Leonard tried to score on two runs and was stuffed at the line. On third down, he found Love wide open out of the backfield and he deftly avoided an Army defender at the goal line to put the Irish up 14-0. 

Army answered with an impressive scoring drive of 75 yards over 10 plays, helped out by two personal foul penalties on the Irish (facemask, hands to the face). The second penalty gave Army first and goal from the four and quarterback Bryson Daily powered his way in to cut the Irish lead to seven points. 

Notre Dame looked ready to answer with an efficient drive until they hit the red zone. Three consecutive 14-yard passes to Jayden Harrison, Beaux Collins and a 14-yard run by Jadarian Price moved the ball into Army territory. Leonard then scrambled for another 12 yards followed by a Price scamper for 12 more. The Irish were within the five-yard line. Army stood their ground from there, however, stuffing Leonard, Price and then Love on fourth and goal to end the scoring threat. 

The Irish defense stepped up immediately to force a three-and-out and a short punt of 32 yards provided Notre Dame the ball at the Army 41-yard line. 

Love wasted zero time making up for the missed scoring opportunity on the last drive. The Irish running back ripped off runs of 21 and six yards then another for 14 – the last one untouched – for a touchdown. 

It was time to slam the door in the first half and the Notre Dame defense was up to the task. Two straight tackles for loss, one by Gabriel Rubio on a reverse, then Christian Gray on a pitch play, buried Army deep in their territory. They looked to pick up a first down on a throw, but an illegal chop block was called and the Black Knights faced a 3rd and 23. A harmless throw down the sidelines fell incomplete and Notre Dame got the ball back near the two-minute warning at the 50-yard line after the punt. 

Leonard found Mitchell Evans for seven yards to start the drive, then hit Kris Mitchell for 28 yards to the Army 15-yard line. Two passes fell incomplete, but the Irish called a perfect quarterback draw and Leonard was tackled just short of the end zone for a first down at the one-yard line with 1:39 remaining. 

Army stood strong again, stopping two Leonard runs before Price tried the middle, then out-raced the defense to the corner for a touchdown and a 28-7 Irish lead. 

Notre Dame received the ball to start the second half and Love struck again on the first play. He burst through a huge hole on the left side of the line and out-raced the defense for a 68-yard touchdown run. 

The defense earned yet another stop, but it did not turn into points as a Mitch Jeter 30-yard field goal was blocked and returned near midfield. Army moved the ball a bit, but the Irish defense stepped up again to stuff a quarterback keeper on fourth and two. 

Steve Angeli entered the game at quarterback in relief of Leonard. He found Collins for 12 yards, Harrison for six and Collins for another five yards to move the chains. On second and six, Angeli connected with Faison for 18 yards down to the 10-yard line. 

One play later, Price was stuffed up the middle, fought through the tackle and scored his second touchdown of the game. 

Army earned one first down on a questionable personal foul, roughing the passer, called on Jack Kiter but he made up for it a few plays later when he stuffed the quarterback on fourth down for a six-yard loss. 

Notre Dame needed just one play to score again. Aneyas Williams broke off a career-high 58-yard touchdown scamper behind the second-string offensive line and the rout was on. 

Army took over the ball with over eight minutes left and put together a long drive to score the game’s final touchdown against the Irish deep reserve defense.