HOW IT HAPPENED
Boston College won the toss and deferred, kicking off to Notre Dame to start the game. The Irish drew a pass interference on a long throw down the right sideline intended for Malachi Fields on the first play of the game but the drive would end three plays later and James Rendell would come on to punt.
Boston College’s first drive ended as quickly as Notre Dame’s first effort. Jared Dawson and Boubacar Traore combined on a tackle-for-loss on the first play. Dawson then pressured BC quarterback Dylan Lonergan into an incomplete pass on second down. Notre Dame pressured Lonergan again on third down, this time by Jaiden Ausberry, and Tae Johnson broke up the pass to get Notre Dame’s offense the ball back.
The Eagles were playing against the run early and the Irish looked to the passing game getting first down throws to Eli Raridon and Will Pauling. The drive would stall there, however, and a BC pass break up on fourth down ended a second empty offensive possession for the Irish.
After one first down for Boston College, Joshua Burnham put the Eagles behind the sticks with a five-yard tackle for loss as he perfectly played his assignment on a throw to the back out of the backfield. BC got it to third-and-eight and tried to catch the Irish sleeping with a surprise run call but Dawson was there to stuff the play and force another punt.
On the second play of Notre Dame’s drive, Jeremiyah Love picked up a blitz from the outside which allowed CJ Carr to easily scramble for a first down. Two Love runs made it third-and-three when Carr found Pauling across the middle to move the chains.
Carr then stepped up and looked long for KK Smith, who he saw beating his defender on a move toward the post. The defender grabbed Smith, eventually catching up with him and intercepting the pass but it was wiped out by the defensive pass interference.
The Eagle defense was making the Irish earn every yard at this point and on second and eight, it looked like a well-set up screen pass would get Jadarian Price enough room for the first down. A good open field tackle pushed Notre Dame to third-and-eight after the first quarter break.
Carr adjusted Notre Dame’s protection twice before the snap and Fields beat his defender easily on the post route for a 40-yard scoring strike. The point-after-touchdown attempt hit the left upright and the Irish would lead 6-0 eight seconds into the second quarter.
Boston College picked up one first down before an overthrow led to an interception on the next drive. Lonergan looked long down field and the pass was tipped in the air by Adon Shuler and intercepted by Tae Johson, who had slipped to the ground behind the play and caught the pass on his backside.
Notre Dame got itself right back into scoring position before performing a turnover of its own. Carr found Faison wide open down field for 46 yards into the red zone and Price ran three times to pick up a first down. On first and goal, Price was fighting to get into the end zone, had the ball stripped away and BC was able to come up with the ball to end the scoring threat.
The Eagles switched to quarterback Grayson James on the next drive and he would provide a spark for the home team. Picking up three first downs, one after the Irish were called for a questionable unsportsmanlike penalty when they were just celebrating a second down stop, BC drove all the way inside the Irish 30-yard line.
Boston College found itself at third-and-one when Drayk Bowen buried the ball carrier for a loss of one. The Eagles went for it on fourth-and-two from the 27 and passed in the flat to the right. Luke Talich recovered when he saw the quarterback drop back, dropped into coverage and broke up the pass on a spectacular leap to give the Irish the ball back.
Love started the drive with two catches, one on the first play of the drive for 14 yards then another two plays later for 12 yards and a first down.
After the two minute timeout, Carr dropped back with great protection and found Pauling behind the defense for a 44-yard touchdown strike. Notre Dame tried a two-point conversion, but it was stopped by BC and the Irish lead was 12-0.
