Irish Run Away from Boise State, 28-7

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame football team (3-2) rolled off 22 consecutive points to earn a 28-7 victory over Boise State (3-2) on a very warm and sunny early-fall day in Notre Dame Stadium. 

The Fighting Irish run game keyed the victory with Jeremiyah Love pacing the way with 103 yards and a four-yard scoring run while Jadarian Price added 83 yards on eight carries and a 49-yard touchdown.

The game featured an uneven flow as the teams were whistled for a combined 24 penalties. The Irish defense persevered through the challenges, however, recording four sacks and holding the Broncos without points over the game’s final 35 minutes. Over those final 35 minutes the Irish defense intercepted four passes and recorded a fourth-down stop.

Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa led the Irish with eight tackles, 0.5 sacks and a key pass break up one of Notre Dame’s fourth-down stops. Leonard Moore, back in the Notre Dame lineup after missing the past two games with an injury, intercepted two of the four passes by the defense. Luke Talich and Tae Johnson notched the other interceptions.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Notre Dame quickly marched down the field on its first possession with 24 combined passing yards to Jordan Faison and Will Pauling. Jeremiyah Love battled to the one-yard line on second down but starting right tackle Aamil Wagner was injured on the play. On the next play after the injury break Notre Dame shifted to a direct snap to Love. The Irish were called for a false start, however, and it ended up at third and goal from the five-yard line. 

CJ Carr found Eli Raridon in the right flat where he was pushed out of bounds at the one-yard line. The Irish decided to go for it and went back to the direct snap to Love which was stopped for a loss of one and a turnover on downs. 

Boise State’s first possession turned into a penalty fest. The Broncos were called for holding and an illegal snap, while the Irish were whistled for defensive holding and encroachment. In the end, solid defense on a third down pass by DeVonta Smith provided the Irish with the ball back after a 50-yard punt at their own 36. 

Love burst through the middle for 36 yards on the second play of the drive and gained seven yards on second and 10. He was shaken up on the play and left the game, replaced by Jadarian Price who rushed for four yards on the third down conversion. The next play, Carr watched Pauling beat his one-on-one defender off the line and placed a pass perfectly on his outside shoulder for a 19-yard touchdown pass. BSU blocked the PAT attempt and the Irish lead was 6-0. 

A third-down sack from Drayk Bowen ended Boise State’s next drive and a Faison 23-yard return looked to get the Irish in good position, but negative plays and penalties led to James Rendell’s first punt in over two games. 

The Irish defense stopped the Broncos quickly and again, Notre Dame looked to have momentum when Carr faked a pass and ran for 28 yards. The drive stalled, however and on fourth and eight Carr adjusted his protection perfectly and had Pauling wide open in the end zone. The pass was wide and incomplete. The Notre Dame offense, which at this point in the game owned a 150-yard advantage on the stat sheet, had earned just a 6-0 lead. 

The Broncos took advantage of the situation and drove down the field to take a 7-6 lead. The Irish had Boise State in jeopardy at third and 10 at midfield, but the Broncos converted, then hit a 28-yard pass that ended with a late hit out of bounds. The visiting team was suddenly at the Irish 10-yard line. 

Notre Dame held on the first two plays inside the five. On third down, Boise executed a perfect fake run naked bootleg by the quarterback for an easy touchdown. 

The lead did not last long. Notre Dame quickly scored through the hands of Malachi Fields, Carr and the legs of Love. 

Fields picked up 22 yards on a catch and run on the first play. Love then ran for 14, caught an 11-yard pass and tacked on another five-yard rush. Carr then threw a frozen rope to Fields for a first down at the Boise State 16-yard line. 

Love battled through several tackles to get eight yards. Carr looked to Pauling on a slant which drew a defensive holding call and placed the ball at the four-yard line. Love strolled into the end zone untouched one play later with a solid turnout block by center Ashton Craig. 

The Irish then decided to get their blocked PAT point back and converted a two-point conversion when Carr rolled right and found Pauling wide open in the end zone. 

Boise State would not go quietly in the first half. Aided by a roughing the passer penalty, the Broncos moved into Notre Dame territory before Tae Johnson intercepted an overthrown pass to end the scoring threat and the first 30 minutes. 

Yet another penalty aided Notre Dame’s defensive stop to start the second half. Boise State looked like they moved deep into Irish territory but an illegal blind side block set the Broncos back toward midfield. Jaylen Sneed then sacked the quarterback on second down and Bryce Young provided pressure to force an errant pass and Boise was forced to punt. Notre Dame took over on its own 21-yard line after a short 20-yard boot. 

The game action called for a methodical scoring drive for the Irish and that is exactly what they delivered. Faison caught a slant pass on third and five and fought back to the outside for eight yards. The Irish quickly snapped on the next play and Faison earned 11 more yards which was followed by a 14-yard run by Price and yet another first down catch by Faison. 

Carr then looked to the right pylon for Fields, who was tackled by the defender to draw a flag and made a spectacular juggling catch. Unfortunately, right before Field was able to secure the ball his leg touched out of bounds. The defensive pass interference was assessed, the ball placed at the four yard line and Carr went right back to Fields for a six-yard touchdown on the fade pattern. 

Boise State picked up a couple first downs on their next drive before Leonard Moore stepped in front of a receiver coming across the field to record Notre Dame’s second interception of the game. 

Notre Dame’s next drive was doomed by back-to-back penalties including a holding call and a dubious offensive pass interference flag. Saddled with second and 37 the Irish would eventually punt it back to Boise State. 

The Broncos drive was practically a carbon copy of Notre Dame’s penalty-ridden drive. BSU was called for an offensive pass interference call then a false start to bring up 1st and 30. Notre Dame intercepted a pass on the drive but it was negated by another questionable call, this time on a quarterback pressure that was called roughing the passer. The penalty gave the Broncos a first down. 

The Irish defense refused to relent. Boise State moved just over midfield but was faced with fourth and two. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa broke up a pass across the middle to end the Bronco scoring threat. 

Searching for an insurance score Notre Dame received one by Jadarian Price. On the second play from scrimmage, Price burst through the middle, cut to his left and broke four tackles on his way to the end zone for a 49-yard score.

Notre Dame’s offense was unable to run out the clock but Moore closed the door with his second interception of the game – and fourth by the Irish – to put Notre Dame in victory formation at the end of the game.