Box Score (PDF) | Notre Dame Postgame Notes | Brian Kelly Post-Game Press Conference Transcript
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The No. 8/7 ranked Notre Dame football team (2-0) had a flair for the dramatics in its 32-29 come-from-behind win over Toledo (1-1) Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium. With the Irish trailing by five with 1:35 left, Jack Coan took the Irish down the field in three plays and connected with Michael Mayer on the game-winning 18-yard touchdown pass with 1:09 left.
Mayer was the standout player on offense, hauling in seven catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Graduate student quarterback Jack Coan finished 21-of-33 passing for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner got his first taste of collegiate action, completing 3-of-3 in the air for 78 yards and a touchdown and adding seven carries for 68 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball JD Bertrand continued his great start to the season, leading the Irish in tackles with 11 tackles, including a sack, three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery to seal the win.
To start the game, the Irish marched right down the field on the game’s opening possession and found Michael Mayer for a touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.
Toledo managed to cut the Notre Dame lead to one by the end of the first quarter at 7-6 off two field goals off the foot of Thomas Cluckey.
The Irish then pushed its lead back to 14-6 off a five play, 96-yard drive which was capped off by a Kyren Williams 43-yard touchdown run. The drive marked freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner’s first collegiate appearance.
The visitors once again answered the Irish score and were able to score the final 10 points of the half over a span of 1:04 to take a 16-14 lead into the halftime break.
Notre Dame retook the lead early in the fourth quarter off a 55-yard drive that spanned 13 plays led to a 48-yard field goal from Jonathan Doerer to put the Irish on top 17-16.
After a big defensive stop, Buchner connected with Chris Tyree on a 55-yard passing touchdown on the first play of the drive to extend the lead to 24-16.
The Rockets refused to go away, scoring on their next possession off a shovel pass from eight yards out but missed the ensuing two-point conversion, allowing the Irish to hold onto the lead at 24-22 with just under eight minutes left in the game.
Following a fumble by the Irish with 3:26 remaining in the fourth, Toledo drove down into field goal range as time was winding down in the game. On third-and-one, Dequan Finn busted loose for a 26-yard touchdown run to give the Rockets the lead.
The Irish were not done as Coan took over with 1:35 left in the game. He quickly connected with Kevin Austin for a 34-yard pass to put the Irish in Toledo territory. A holding penalty put the Irish in the red zone and on the following play, Coan connected with Michael Mayer for an 18-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead for the Irish. The Irish converted the two-point try after Avery Davis connected on a pass to give the Irish a 32-29 lead that would not relinquish.
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa forced a fumble that was recovered by JD Bertrand with 25 seconds left to seal the win.
Notre Dame welcomes Purdue for an intrastate clash at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Notre Dame Stadium. The game will be broadcast on NBC.
—ND—