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No.2 Notre-Dame passed one of his toughest final tests of the season, bolstering his defense after half-time and putting in another stellar performance from Ian Book to a 31-17 victory in the no. ° 19 from North Carolina.
It was a shootout game from the start, with just one punt and four TDs in the first quarter. But that 14-14 start turned out to be the turning point in a game that was won on Notre Dame’s terms, relying on defense and ground play to lead the way in crucial second-half possessions that went decided the match.
Ian Book completed 23 of 33 passes for 279 yards and one touchdown with 48 rushing yards in eight attempts. In addition to the rushed exit, many games were kept alive thanks to his ability to evade North Carolina defenders in the backfield, extend play and keep his eyes on the field. Book was so full of confidence that he was throwing backhand throws to the third deep in his own territory, providing a “how did he do that? Point out to his reel of game-changing plays over the years. last three games.
“It’s just trust, honestly. I’m having so much fun. You don’t wanna do that much, but I trust Mike. [Mayer]Book told ESPN after the game.
The rushing game took matters into its own hands when it was time to wrap up the victory in the second half, and Kyren Williams finished with 124 yards on 23 attempts with a 47-yard scamper, perhaps one of the games the match. But if we were to piece together the reasons Notre Dame won, it would mostly be thanks to the defense which forced a second-half shutout against one of the best offenses in the country.
North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell was limited to just 211 yards on 17 of 27 passes with two total touchdowns (one pass, one rushing), and Tar Heels’ offense as a whole was limited. just 78 yards to 3.1 yards per play after Halftime. North Carolina’s offense is averaging over 550 yards per game, but finished with less than 300 yards of attack after getting stuck in the mud during that second period.
All of the best times for North Carolina came early, like Emery Simmons pitching Randy Moss on a touchdown in the first quarter.
Notre Dame’s dominance on the line of scrimmage after half-time not only highlights his great strength this season, but the identity that Brian Kelly and his team have helped establish over the past four years. Veteran defenders like Daelin Hayes and Adetokunbo Ogundeji have spent years working on their craft and developing physically to the point of being ready to dominate at the point of attack.
CBS Sports will update this story with lessons to be learned from Notre Dame’s victory over North Carolina.
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