Join the forum discussion on this postMake the most of your opportunities! That is exactly what Tommy Rees and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish did this past Saturday in a 59-33 whipping of the Air Force Falcons. For the second consecutive week, Notre Dame did pretty much whatever it wanted to do offensively. Perfection was the story of the first half – six chances, six touchdowns. Rees, in that first half, completed 19 out of 25 passes for 208 yards and 4 TD’s throwing to four different receivers. The Irish scored 21 points, with three touchdowns in each of the first two quarters.
Stats
Quarterback Andrew Hendrix, for the first time all season, saw extensive playing time, and did he ever take advantage of it. He has probably pushed himself into the role of second string QB over former starter Dayne Crist. Not only was Hendrix a perfect 4 of 4 passing for 33 yards, but he was the leading Irish ground gainer. Running with the football, Andrew carried 6 times for 111 yards, an average of 18.5 per carry. The only thing he didn’t do was to score a touchdown. He came ever so close on that though. He broke off a run of 78 yards in which it appeared that he was going to score, but was stopped near the goal line.
This is exactly how Brian Kelly wants his spread offense to percolate. As a team, the Irish had 28 first downs, 10 by rushing, 16 by passing, 2 by penalty. Notre Dame had 266 yards rushing on 29 carries, averaging 9.2 yards per carry. They completed 27 of 36 passes for 294 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. They lost no fumbles and had only 6 penalties for 54 yards of infractions. Rushing and passing yardage for the game amounted to 560 yards on 65 offensive plays. That equaled out to an average of 8.6 yards per play. The Irish only had to punt twice for the second consecutive game. Notre Dame was 8 of 11 on third down opportunities. The Fighting Irish were 6 of 6 on Red Zone chances with all 6 resulting in touchdowns.
The glaring negative of the afternoon was just how well the Air Force offense clicked against the Notre Dame defense. One could say that maybe the Irish defense was in a celebratory mood. Notre Dame jumped out to a 21-3 lead. Then the Irish defense gave up 14 points when leading in the fourth quarter by the score of 59-19. Air Force had 32 first downs, 17 by rushing, 13 by passing and 2 on penalties. The Falcons rushed for 363 yards on 60 attempts. They passed for 202 yards by completing 16 out of 28 passes with 1 interception and 2 touchdowns. They had 565 total yards on 88 offensive plays. They lost 1 fumble and had 6 penalties as well. They were a phenomenal 5 of 5 on fourth down conversions.
Air Force turned the ball over but twice; however, it shows that mistakes can kill you in a ball game. Both errors led to Notre Dame touchdowns. Seven different Irish players reached the end zone for TD’s. The wide-open game featured the most combined points ever for a game at Notre Dame Stadium, breaking the previous mark of 90. The 59 points were the most by Notre Dame since beating Rutgers 62-0 in 1996 – Lou Holtz’s final home game as Irish coach. The two teams combined for 1,125 yards total offense – 565 by Air Force and 560 by Notre Dame.
Play By Play
Notre Dame won the toss and chose to receive the football. George Atkinson returned the opening kickoff to the Irish 19 yard line. The Fighting Irish promptly drove 81 yards in 8 plays taking up three minutes and 6 seconds. There was one running play by Cierre Wood for two yards. Tommy Rees completed 5 of 7 passes. The final completion went to Michael Floyd from 34 yards out at the 12:13 mark of the first quarter. David Ruffer added the PAT and the Irish led 7-0.
Air Force had just a one play drive. Starting at their 19 yard line after the kickoff, Asher Clark ran for 29 yards. However, he was stripped of the ball by Jamoris Slaughter and Robert Blanton returned the ball 4 yards with Notre Dame taking over at the Air Force 44 yard line.
After a Notre Dame personal foul penalty, the Irish drove 59 yards on 9 plays in 3 minutes and 33 seconds. Hendrix saw game action on this drive. He completed a pass for a 3 yard loss and ran once for 6 yards. Rees ended the drive by throwing a TD pass to Tyler Eifert from 5 yards away. Ruffer added the extra point and it was Notre Dame 14-0 at the 8:21 point of the first quarter.
Air Force went on an 8 play drive covering 64 yards and ended up kicking a FG by Par Herrington from 34 yards out. The drive lasted 4 minutes and 14 seconds and the score came at the 5:48 mark of the opening period. Notre Dame led 14-3.
The Falcon kickoff was taken by George Atkinson at the N.D. 9 yard line and he returned it 40 yards to the Irish 49 yard line. The Fighting Irish covered the 51 yards in 4 plays in one minute and 41 seconds. All four plays were pass plays. The 2nd play a pass by Hendrix to Eifert for 22 yards. Rees was 3 of 3 on the other pass attempts and he threw a 10 yard scoring strike to Robby Toma for the touchdown at the 4:07 mark of the quarter. Ruffer’s PAT made the score 21-3 in favor of Notre Dame.
The first quarter ended in the middle of an Air Force drive, with the score 21-3 Irish.
Air Force took the ball 80 yards on 14 plays in 5 minutes and 26 seconds. Tim Jefferson ran in from 3 yards out at the 13:41 mark of the second quarter. Herrington’s PAT was blocked and the Irish led 21-9.
On the ensuing kickoff, Air Force attempted to onside the kick but the Irish recovered and took over at the Falcon 38 yard line. The play was a failed gamble for the academy. It took only 2 minutes and 2 seconds for Notre Dame to go the 38 yards on 5 plays. Jonas Gray scored on a run from 5 yards out. Ruffer’s kick made it 28-9 Notre Dame at the 11:39 mark of the quarter.
Air Force had the ball 8 plays before making another critical blunder. A Tim Jefferson pass was picked off by Jamoris Slaughter at the Falcon 44 yard line.
The touchdown parade continued for the Irish. They moved the 44 yards in 6 plays and 2:27 of time. Scoring at the 6:10 mark of the period, on a Cierre Wood 8 yard run. Ruffer’s kick made it 35-9.
Air Force struck back with an 80 yard drive on 12 plays covering 4 minutes and 29 seconds. They scored at the 1:41 mark of the quarter when Jefferson hit a 6 yard TD pass to Ty MacArthur. Herrington added the extra point and the Air Force trailed 35-16.
N.D started at their 26 yard line following the kickoff. Theo Riddick got in on the fun receiving a 24 pass from Rees good for the TD. Ruffer made the kick and it was 42-16. That would be the halftime score. The drive went 74 yards in 6 plays taking only a minute and 9 seconds. There were 32 seconds left in the half.
The only score of the third quarter was a 6 yard TD run by Jonas Gray for the Irish. It came at the 6:49 mark of the period. The Irish went 64 yards on 6 plays in a minute and 54 seconds. The Ruffer PAT and the quarter would end with the Irish ahead 49-16.
The Falcons had an 18 play drive but could only get 3 points. Herrington booted the 32 yard FG to cut the lead to 49-19 with 14:56 to play.
The Irish matched that with a FG of their own. A 9 play, 56 yard drive in 4:44 ended with a Ruffer 39 yard FG. With 10:12 to go, the Irish led 52-19.
Notre Dame later had an 80 yard drive on only 4 plays. Hendrix had a dash downfield going 78 yards from te N.D. 20 yard line to the Air Force 2 yard line. Atkinson wound up scoring on a 1 yard run. Coach Brian Kelly let Grieco kick the PAT and it was now 59-19 in the favor of the Irish.
The Falcons retaliated quickly, but it was too little too late. They got TD’s on a 4 play drive and then again the next time they had the ball on a 7 play drive. The final score was Notre Dame Fighting Irish 59 Air Force Falcons 19.
MadIrish Perspective
Defensively, Harrison Smith had 12 tackles for the Irish with Robert Blanton and Manti Teo each chipping in with 10 stops apiece.
After a bye week, the Irish will host the University of Southern California Trojans in a night game at Notre Dame Stadium. This will be the first night game there in 21 years. I saw the classic first night game victory versus the Michigan Wolverines in 1990.
This is a key game for the Irish. USC will be up for this match-up and wanting revenge against Notre Dame for ending the USC winning streak over Notre Dame at the Coliseum in Los Angeles last year. The game will be televised by NBC at 6:30 CT on Saturday October 22nd.
Go Irish!
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