Will Ian Book look as sharp from the pocket? Will the defense cut down on the missed tackles and poor run fits? Will the Irish take care of business and blow New Mexico out with plenty of time for backups to play?

We'll find out soon enough.

Be back here after kick off for thoughts during the game.

Go Irish!

Big kickoff return by Lawrence Keys to get things started. Well blocked.

Nice start quick out to Wright, ball placement good from Book.

3 and 2 after a hitch to Finke

Inside to Jones and he is short of the sticks. They go heavy on 4th down. Flag thrown on New Mexico. 12 players on the field, but they called timeout before. Not supposed to be able to pick up that flag. Bad start for the officials

4th and inches coming up

Not sure why they didn't go heavy on 3rd and short.

Sneak by Book and they give ND the 1st

Like the deep shot, thrown outside shoulder by Book. Claypool couldnt adjust.

PA and Book needs to throw it away. Sack

3 and 17, ND now out of FG position.

Nothing open down field and Book runs (the right decision).

ND will punt

Brilliant punt by Bramblett pins New Mexico on the 2

This camera angle is bad that NBC is using. Really hope this isn't an all game thing

Ball not even close on 1st down throw to the boundary. Pride called for PI (bad call. Very iffy)

1 and 10

Swing bubble to the back. Would have like to see JOK make that tackle. Instead it's a 1st.

Pressure from Kareem, Sheriron Jones throws the ball away

2 and 10

Good penetration up front, but nice fight for 3 yards by the back. Asmar missed the tackle

3 and 7

Kyle Hamilton pick six!!!!

Ball tipped by Daelin after dropping.

7-0 Irish

Good coverage on the kick.

NM starts on the 18

RPO bubble moves the chains

3 and 3 after Ademilola makes the play after a bust up front

Direct snap converts inside

Zone read, looked like midline option, good gain on 1st down

2 and 3 before MTA knifes through for a TFL

3 and 5

Ball out quick and converted. Crawford with a nice read, but too late to make the tackle before the sticks

Spreading ND out and winning with numbers in the box. Another good run on 1st down

Bilal makes a play! Nice job beating the guard and finishing

3 and 7

Tried a slip screen and not much. Elliott with a nice job.

NM will punt

Finke makes a mistake letting it bounce. Needed to fair catch it at the 12

It bounces inside the 5

Great job by Book escaping and staying patient on that initial 3rd down. More of what we'd like to see from him.

Quick game to Keys was another.

Missed block by Kraemer on the pull, but more of a great play by LB Alex Hart. Put ND in 3 and long.

Book misses on 3 and 14, ND punts.

3 and out for NM after Pride with a great job sticking on the back shoulder. Great finish by Elliott to break up the pass on 3rd down

Nice return by Finke sets ND up with a short field

Keeper to Book gets 7 on 1st down and Keys on a jet sweep gets the 1st.

ND is scoring range at the end of the 1st quarter.

7-0 Irish

Took a shot to Keys down the middle on the post. Looked like PI, but no call. Incomplete

Claypool a beast after the catch on the screen. Great job by him and Tremble with a nice block to spring him

RPO and Book keeps for 3

2 and 7 at the NM 11

Book sees the red sea part and picks up the 1st.

1 and goal

C'Bo Flemister lining up tighter to the line, two straight for short gains.

Heavy personnel, sneak gets the ball to inches to goal line. Try it again and it's a touchdown. Wright bushed him into the end zone

14-0 ND

Doerer boots it out of the end zone

Not much on the keep by Jones on 1st down.

A lot of different formations for ND and Bilal with a great aggressive read to make the TFL

3 and 10

Speed option on 3rd down and Hayes chases it down from the backside. Another TFL

Irish defense settled in

3 and out for NM

Booming punt puts ND at their 13

Welp, penetration stuffs Kyren Williams on his 1st carry.

He gets three or four back to make it 3 and 9

NM brought the house, Book threw it too wide to Finke down the sideline.

3 and out for ND. The offense has been bad. No other way to say it.

Good punt by Bramblett

JGH in the game and makes the tackle for a short gain on 1st down

Jones way off the mark and crazy flag. Wow, ball is way over the head of the receiver.

Refs have been shaky to start

1 and 10 at the NM 44

Great job by Elliott sticking with him man on the gadget play. Incomplete

2 and 10

Vaughn called for PI. That looked like a legit call. Too physical

Ogundeji and Gilman with pressure. Another incomplete

Daelin having himself a day. Hits Jones at the mesh point for a TFL

3 and long

Jones felt the blitz and tried to throw hot. Elliott picks it off and another great series for defense.

Avery Davis! Some misdirection and Davis gets it on the jet sweep. Huge bust and he takes it to the house.

Guess he won't be going back to defense any time soon.

21-0 ND

Great job by JOK down the field making a tackled on the kick off (reviewed for targeting, it was not)

Jet sweep for 8 on 1st down.

PA tried to hit the jump ball the boundary. Overthrown

3 and 2

Another direct snap that converts. Good job by Hamilton coming up on the tackle, but it does move the chains

1 and 10

Big hole up the middle with Lacey missing the play. Just overran it on the draw

Jones is...not good. Missed a chance at play down the seam with a throw behind the receiver

Kareem with the stuff sets up 3 and long

Jones takes a deep shot down the middle, Crawford step for step. Not close

Another NM punt

PI on the deep ball to Claypool. Grab by the DB. 15 for ND

Um, what?

Javon McKinley after the catch! Looking like a young Javon McKinley on that one! Horrible tackling, but who cares. Great thing for a guy who only has two career catches.

He takes it for six.

28-0 ND

Drew White makes a play scraping to the ball reading the counter.

JOK beats a block and nothing on the swing bubble.

3 and long

Then Shaun Crawford doing Shaun Crawford things.

He gets the third pick of the day. Perfect leverage and finds the football.

PA to Claypool on 1st down and then a touchdown on the next play down it's six. 7 second drive.

35-0 ND

Doerer boots it out of the end zone.

Bilal finishes the play on the keep on the read, but a couple of big runs for NM after.

The problem is that NM can't do anything through the air. Whether it's pressure or Jones struggling, it's been bad.

ND gives up a big play on the ground. Maybe a hold on the outside not called, but not good enough up front. Drew White a bit slow to diagnose.

35-7 ND

I take it back, White got tackled by the guard. Horrible no call

Book with a big run with nothing open down the field. ND with a chance to put up more points before the half.

16 seconds left and on the edge of FG range

Deep shot to Claypool, good no call on the PI. Could have gone either way so no call was the right call.

Claypool on the corner route makes it an easier FG attempt

Kick if good for Doerer

ND finishes the half up 38-7

Half roll for the new NM QB, pressure from Drew White. Incomplete

Gilman with a great stick on 2nd down to force 3 and long

Pressure from the blitz and ball is out and incomplete.

3 and out to start. Not a great punt. Good field position for ND

Finke off the pop pass and another ND touchdown.

These are passing yards, but they might as well be rushing yards.

45-7

Ade with a stuff coming down the line on 1st down.

2 and 10

Daelin with a finish for a short gain. He's playing fast, which was always the issue with him before.

3 and 8

Screen, Lamb makes the play and NM will be 3 and out again.

NM fakes it, and the punter converts. Jonathan Jones had a chance to make the tackle, but missed.

Patrick Pelini with a tombstone tackle, though.

NM will go for it on 4 and 5 after a couple of incompletions.

Almost a pick as Clark Lea brought the house. Gilman with the pressure and Crawford almost came up with his second pick.

ND ball

Tony Jones on the counter for 9 on 1st down. Better patience by him there.

3 and 1 after ND looked to take a deep shot, but Book decided to throw it away.

Another inside give to Jones and he is just short. Short yardage continues to be a problem

4th and short, like the call to go for it. Jones breaks a tackle and converts.

Flag on the play, offside. Picked up

Down, down from the right side there. Want to see more of that.

PA to Tremble, touch throw by Book. Fantastic

Back shoulder to McKinley for the touchdown. Great catch. Used his body well to box out. Nice ball placement.

52-7 ND

A lot of backups working in now. Griffith and Bracy in at corner. Ovie Ohoufo in at Drop.

Bracy lost his man and stumbled. Led to a big play for NM. They're in the red zone

Great job by Jayson Ademilola to make a TFL on 3 and goal.

And New Mexico blows the snap on the FG attempt. Yikes.

Bracy picks it up and is tackle. ND gets the ball back with no points added

Yoooooooooo

Phil Jurkovec deep shot to Lenzy. Money for a big play

ND already in the red zone.

TFL and then a false start on Micah Jones.

Jurkovec keeps and gets 4

3 and goal

Jurkovec a little too hot to Davis, PJ gets hit. NM DE celebrates like is team is winning by 45. Penalty keeps the drive alive

PJ throws it away on 3rd down and another penalty keeps it alive. Lenzy was held.

Not surprising we're seeing mistakes by everyone.

1 and goal

2nd team OL looking like the 2nd team OL

Some poor execution to end the quarter. 3 and goal after Jurkovec sacked on 2nd down

And C'Bo was moving at the snap.

PJ on the QB draw almost scores from 20 yards out.

ND will go for it on 4th and goal

C'Bo takes it on 4th down. Good job after contact

59-7

Harrison Leonard getting a chance to kick off. Fair catch by NM

Isaiah Foskey in the game and he makes a tackle for no gain

Bo Bauer with a big stick. Not sure why he was unblocked as the guy coming off the edge vs counter trey.

NM forced to punt again.

11:03 left

Brendon Clark in the game.

Kyren Williams getting carries and I like it. Love that stiff arm

ND running out the clock with Clark and then a screen to Lenzy scores. Nice to see him have some flashes today.

66-7

No need for more in this one. Insert the mercy rule.

Instant reaction coming up from me.