Notre Dame plays efficient game en route to 31-13 win over Georgia Tech
Notre Dame traveled down to Atlanta in desperate need of another quality win to boost its playoff hopes. Thanks to a balanced passing, rushing and special team attack, the Irish pulled out a 31-13 win over Georgia Tech Saturday.
“Our guys played well if you look at the overall picture,” head coach Marcus Freeman said. “We made the corrections necessary. Offensively really got it rolling those last two drives in the first half. Overall, everybody had a part in it … it’s a group effort.”
Notre Dame has made its living in blocking field goals this year, and trying to protect a two-score lead mid-way through the third quarter it pulled another trick out of its bag. As Aidan Birr’s strike traveled over the line, Bryce Young extended his left arm, tipping the ball and sending it spiraling end-over-end down the field, protecting the 21-7 Irish lead.
“I thought we did a great job on (the) field goal block, we got a lot of push there,” Freeman said. “We knew going into this game we had to steal some possessions.”
Despite Jadarian Price exploding off the momentum of the missed kick for a 23-yard sprint down the sideline, the Irish weren’t able to finish the game off. At midfield, Notre Dame took a gamble on fourth down, but Riley Leonard’s elite legs couldn’t move the chains.
The Irish defense continued to hold strong, and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before they forced Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron to make a mistake. That moment finally came as Xavier Watts pulled off his signature move — an interception — winning a jump ball to get off the field.
But even with all the momentum shifting plays, Leonard and Co. were stuck in the mud after an efficient first-half attack, and weren’t able to get the ball past midfield. After Watts’ interception, Leonard went three-and-out, but Notre Dame wasn’t done.
A trick punt put the ball into Jeremiyah Love’s hands on a reverse, and he made multiple defenders miss in the open field to clear the sticks and pick up the first down. The Irish found themselves back in the red zone for the first time in the second half thanks to Jadarian Price, but didn’t find much luck after that. Zac Yoakam knocked through a crucial 42-yard field goal to make it a three-score game, 24-7.
Following the kick, Notre Dame had Georgia Tech right where it wanted. Down big it allowed the elite Irish secondary to sit back and wait for Pyron to throw. The signal caller kept his team alive with a 20-yard scramble on fourth down, but he wasn’t so lucky a few plays later when he couldn’t keep his squad on the field on fourth down.
Notre Dame with a chance to ice the game weren’t done pulling off some special team tricks. After lining up for a Yoakam field goal, Chris Salerno pulled the snap and beat every Yellow Jacket defender to the stick to convert the fourth down. Later that same drive, Yoakam lined up for another field goal, this time he kicked it but it trailed to the right of the post.
Pyron and Georgia Tech were playing desperate now, and after he sailed a ball intended for Eric Singleton Jr., Adon Shuler was there waiting to corral the errant throw and take it for a house call, putting the game to bed.
A beaten and bruised Pyron mustered a final drive that resulted in a touchdown strike to Chase Lane.
Let’s take you back to the beginning of Saturday’s contest.
The first two drives between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech were a feeling out period of sorts, with the Irish opening the game with a quick three-and-out.
The Yellow Jackets had some more luck moving the ball early, especially with the wounded Irish secondary. With Benjamin Morrison out for the season, Pyron took advantage and found Jackson Hawes all alone for a 20 yard gain down the sideline. The defense held strong, halting Pyron on a third down rush and forced a punt.
Price got things going for Notre Dame, exploding and breaking tackles for a 19-yard rush. Leonard won a battle of wills on a fourth and short to move the chains, but then he reverted back to his September self. On a deep pass intended for Beaux Collins, the signal caller sailed the ball over his head and into the hands of Warren Burrell’s hands for an interception — his first in four games.
“It’s plays we have to clean up,” Freeman said. “You are going to hit some hurdles, you have to get up and sprint to the finish line.”
The pass seemed to wake up Leonard down in Atlanta — none of his passes touched the turf for the rest of the half.
Georgia Tech rode the wave of momentum from Russell’s pick to go on a long, commanding drive down the field. Pyron — who took over the job from an injured Haynes King — was lethal, going a perfect 9/9 with a mixture of short and intermediate throws to get the Yellow Jackets near the Irish endzone. Jamal Hayes ultimately punched a dive through the goaline to give Georgia Tech an early lead.
“He’s a good quarterback,” Freeman said. “Watching film we thought he was more convicted in his decisions. We thought he was a really good thrower, and could run if he needed to.”
Leonard settled right back in following his pick, hitting Jayden Thomas for an eight-yard gain, and taking a designed run up the gut to convert on third down. Then Love got his legs going, popping a run up the middle, bringing a barrage of Yellow Jacket defenders with him for 10. The tight ends also got involved, with Eli Reardon and Mitchell Evans catching three passes to set up Leonard for a one-yard touchdown run. Tie ball game.
Pyron couldn’t pull off the same magic he did the drive prior, as Jordan Clark brought down Singleton Jr. near the sideline to force a punt.
It was clear Leonard was in a deep groove following the turnover, and Love continued to look explosive, taking a dump off pass 25 yards down the sideline. A trio of passes to Kris Mitchell and Collins found the Irish in striking distance once again. Leonard found a crease and sliced through the redzone for a 12-yard touchdown run, his second of the half.
“He’s confident,” Freeman said. “He reloaded and came back with the right mindset. You have to be confident in your decisions and then sometimes they can be wrong.”
Georgia Tech had a chance to set itself up for a double score, and Pyron was determined to get it there. The sophomore quarterback found Avery Boyd deep up the middle for 25 yards and then beat out an all-out blitz to find Singleton for 12 yards.
After running out of clock to manage, the Yellow Jackets settled to try for a field goal. Try being the keyword as David Shanahan mishandled the hold, was forced to scramble and hammered down by Leonard Moore to end the half.
Notre Dame will be back in action Oct. 26 when it takes on an undefeated Navy team, kickoff set for 12 p.m.