Beautiful football weather today for ND-NIU

NIU's best DL Rashein Thomas is out today. That won't help their chances of making this tight.

A ton of experience on this NIU team. Let's see how they handle the crowd in the home opener and if their defense can do what they did so well last year with limiting big plays.

See you back at kick off

Go Irish!

NIU won the toss and deferred

Harrison gets the balls to the 24 on the return

1 and 10

Leonard esapes the pocket and finds Collins coming back to the football for 7

2 and 3

Empty and Qb draw gets the 1st. Leonard makes the LB miss in space

1 and 10

IZ gets about 5 to the right for Love

2 and 5

Leonard keep on the read cuts it up for 5 and the 1st

1 and 10

Schrauth called for a holding call for pancking the DT. Jersey kind of got away from him, but his hands were inside

2 and 12

After a free acess throw to Greathouse gains 8

Leonard missed a wide open Greathouse. Great protection. Poor throw. Would have been a first and more

3 and long

Evans wins vs the smaller safety. Good throw. 1st down

QB counter and DL got some penetration so got only 1

2 and 9

1st down to Greathouse. Hooking up in zone and gets some YAC

1 and 10

Empty and nothing open so Leonard scramble for 10

2 and short

Love inside and gets 7

1 and 10 inside the red zone

Love tries to bounce it and gets 1

2 and 9

QB sweep, nice job overloading with the TEs to that side. Leonard scores, but they are reviewing it.

They say it stands, but he looked short.

7-0 ND

Jeter's kick bounces on the 1 and stays out. NIU had to grab it and it's a long field to start for NIU

It's being reviewed to see if the ball hit the goal line. They determined it didn't.

NIU ball at the 2

NIU got away with a false start from the FB

5 yard gain

2 and 5

Heavy personnel and two inside runs to start. Gain of 1 on 2nd down

3 and 4

Nothing open on the boot, Hampton had to scramble and got right to the line to gain. I think he got it and he did

1 and 10

Jet motion, run the sweep with slot. Gains 5

2 and 5

83 yard TD. BMo and KVA got caught up with each other in man, left it wide open for Antario Brown.

It looked like it could have been picked. That's how close it was

But there you go, NIU showing up.

7-7 just like that with ane extra 15 added to the kickoff after a Mills roughing the passer penalty

Not a great response by ND's O on the next drive

3 and long and NIU brings pressure and gets a sack. Knapp beat

3 and out. Oof

Only a 39 yard punt for Rendell gives NIU great field position

Heavy formation and NIU runs counter, not a great fit by Kiser. Good run for Brown gets them inside the ND 30

2 and 8

NIU goes gadget and ran a fly sweep pass and the WR was open. Horrible throw and ND avoids giving up a TD

3 and 8

Nothing open on the PA, Burnham pressures forces the ball out

42 yards FG is good

10-7 NIU

Great blocking by the KR team, a ton of space for Harrison.

34 yard return and shocked it didn't go bigger

1 and 10

Check down to Love gets 8

2 and 2

Incomplete to Mitchell on the slant. He's down after the play. He's up after. Maybe got the wind knocked out of him

3 and 2

QB sweep converts. Wagner caked a poor DB on that play

1 and 10

Leonard picked. Ball was late to Greathouse. He was open. Tipped, LB picked it on the tip

NIU ball at their 45

Sudden change, they catch ND on a PA where he faked the block and leaked out.

43 yards gain

1 and 10 at the ND 12 when they come back for the 2nd Q

10-7 NIU

PA and nothing open on the boot. Throws it away

2 and 10

Keep by Hampton gets 2. Watts all over it

3 and 8

Huge play here for ND. Need to hold them a FG attempt

A ton of window dressing and they give to Brown and he gets 6

4 and 2

NIU calls a timeout and decided to kick it

13-7 after the chip shot

Big gain on the outside zone to Price on 1st down. 15 yards

RPO and Leonard's throw to Mitchell was way offf

2 and 10

Great job by Collins with some YAC on the screen. Gets 15

1 and 10

Scramble gets a few with nothing there down the field

2 and 8

Leonard keeps on the RPO and it wasn't a bad decision, but there was no right decision. NIU stunt up front busted up the play

Blitz on 3rd and long forced Leonard to escape and ND has to punt

Rendell with a punt fair catch at the 11

After Boubacar did a great job dominating the TE and getting a TFL, NIU runs inside for 11 on 2 and long

1 and 10

Short out to the FB gains 3

2 and 7

Counter gets 5

3 and 2

Timeout for NIU

Didn't have the call they wanted

3 and 2

NIU converts

ND simply not winning inside. At some point a DL has to kick the crap out of someone up front

1 and 10

Tried to slip out the TE for a big play, great job by Shuler to stay with it. Hampton throws the ball away

2 and 10

ND moved way too much up front on IZ.

3 and 4

Jordan Clark great job breaking up the pass vs the slot. Mills with pressure

Should have been a fair catch interference call, but no flag

Inside to Love gets

2 and 1

Low ball to Mitchell is incomplete

Leonard has been bad throwing the football in this game.

3 and 1

Holding call on Craig takes away 27 yard run

3 and 5

Complete to Evans

He wins contested. Great job

Love bounces it and gets 4

2 and 6

Love great job to fight for yards after getting hit. Gets it to 3 and 3

Slot fade to Greathouse, the ball was there He couldn't come down with it. Gotta make that catch. Great blitz pick up by Ford.

Crushing drop

Botelho tackles Brown for only a 1 yard gain. Great job beating the LT on that play

2 and 9

Timeout by NIU

2 and 9

Brown gets 8. they kep getting downhill on ND

3 and short and big stuff for ND.

ND ball with a chance to score at the end of the half

Couple of check downs gets ND a 1st inside of NIU territory

Tried to hit a draw and stuffed

2 and 10 after ND's timeout

51 seconds left

Leonard is down after the next play. He got rid of the ball backwards on the play. 3 and forever and ND calls a screen to Greathouse

Tackled out of bounds and flag comes out giving ND an automatic 1st down. Just a dumb play gives ND life

37 seconds left

Mitchell catches it and stumbles on a gain of 3

Clock ticks down all the way to 14 seconds. When Leonard has to throw it away

Tried to catch them with a draw, but wanted to make sure they got a FG chance.

Timeout with 3 seconds left

FG is blocked

Wow, can't imagine a worse half for ND

Kick was super low.

ND probably lucky to have it be 13-7 for NIU

1 and 10

Brown stuffed by Botelho for 1

2 and 9

Brown my gosh just made a great play to get the edge. Bounced it for 11

PA gets 12 on the crosser

X Watts down on the field a couple of plays later. Oof.

What a nightmare for ND in every sense

Looked like a shoulder for Watts. We'll see what happens, but he's into the tent

Brown out of the Wildcat gets a good 1st down gain

2 and 4

Watts back in the game and he almost makes a crazy play. Grabbed the ball and tried to knock it back to Shuler for a pick. Wow, unreal play

3 and 4

TFL by Burnham, huge play coming from the backside. Mills great job at the POA

53 yard FG attempt is no good

Big stop for ND on the opening drive of the half

Love gets a couple inside then Greathouse hooks it up for a 1st down

1 and 10

Inside zone for maybe a yard

2 and 9

Out to Mitchell for another 1st. Great ball by Leonard there. Long throw

1 and 10

Seven inside for Love

2 and 3

Yowza, Love hurdles a guy at the second level and it's a house call! 34 yards

Just like that, ND has the lead

14-13 ND

Short kick, fair catch by NIU

1 and 10

Great job on 1st down, Sneed and Traore get Brown down for 2

Wildcat gets six. Man, NIU's OC has ben outstanding in this game.

PA on 3 and 2, complete to the TE. Easily Hampton's best throw of the day.

1st down

Wildcat gets 3

2 and 7

Lead iso to the left gets 6

NIU is tough. Gotta give them credit. They have been physical

QB sneak converts on 3 and short

1 and 10

Holding on the end around takes them back

1 and long at the 50

Ausberry with a big stick on a short gain

NIU starting guard Lippe is down

Will be 2 and 14 when they come back

3 and 7 after NIU ran the ball for 7

Jordan Clark great coverage vs the slant. Breaks it up

Tried to quick kick on 4th down, ball went into the end zone

ND ball

Stretch play to Price gets 1. Looked like it had a chance there

2 and 9

Short on the hitch route to Thomas gets 4

3 and medium

Leonard flushed out of the pocket. Just not processing things great.

3 and out

1 and 10

PA boot, Sneed chased him down after he scrambled for 11. 1st down, but Antario Brown limping after the play. Not putting weight on his leg

That's a massive loss if he can't come back

PA shot, Sneed good coverage and incomplete

Bowen triggered on 2nd down, but couldn't get there on 2nd down

3 and 2 for NIU

Ausberry huge play to get a stop. NIU holds and ND will accept because NIU would probably go on 4th and short

Going to be 3rd and long when they get back for the start of the 4th quarter

14-13 ND

3 and 12

Heard beat by the th TE Barnes and that's a heck of a ball by Hampton. Man, that's a clutch throw

Stuffed on 1st down

Brown back in on 2 and 10

Fly sweep gets 5

3 and medium

Inside to Brown and he is short by a couple of yards

NIU is going to go for it on 4 and 2

PA and Ausberry all over the back and ND gets a huge stop

ND ball

Greathouse on the screen gets a couple

Love gets about 3 on 2 and 8

3 and 5

Leonard off the mark to Greathouse. I mean, it was ugly

3 and out for ND

ND forces a fumble on the return but NIU comes up with it. Luke Talich knocked it out

4 yards on 1st down on insdie zone

Slant to the slot converts. Heck of a throw.

1 on 1st down

2 and 9

Bowen big stick, two plays in a row he arrives with violence

3 and 6

BMo tips the crosser to the TE. Heard hit Hampton as he threw

Good stop for ND

1 and 10

Pitch to Price gets 7. Craig with nice block down the field

Leonard converts on the comeback to Collins

Leonard after he almost gets picked earlier throws a horrendous pick that is returned to the ND 50

I'm speechless. An incredibly dumb decision and worse throw

Stuff on 2nd and short makes it 3 and short

TE fly sweep just makes it

1 and 10

TFL for Cross and Watts

2 and 12

Almost hit a big one, but Kiser makes a huge tackle on the screen to prevent a TD on the screen

3 and 4

Short completion makes it 4 and 2. Will get it to the 2 minute warning

Will either take a 48 yard FG attempt or go for it

NIU going for it on 4th and 2

PA boot and Hampton just gets it running

1 and 10

Stuffed on 1st down

1:47 left

2 and 10

Williams gets it to the 20

Burnham down after the play

3 and 2 1:33 left in the game.

NIU lets the clock run down and then takes a timeout

43 seconds left

ND has one timeout left

3 and 2

Looks like the marked it short, but I think he got it. Either way, NIU will kick a FG with a chance to win the game whether or not review says he got the 1st down or not

They say it stands so NIU will kick it from 35

It's good

NIU 16-14

31 seconds left

ND one timeout

Harrison gets it to the 36

24 seconds left with a timeout

Knapp beat around the edge, Leonard basically has to throw the ball away

19 seconds left

Hits Mitchell on an in at the NIU 46

Clocked it a 9 seconds

Pressured forced the ball out

Jeter has to come out and attempt a 62 yard FG that is blocked

ND's putrid offense loses this game in a fitting fashion

A gross performance and ND will have to look at a whole bunch of different things because this ain't it