On an emotional Senior Day, Notre Dame Football put on an all-around display of brilliance in an 70-7 win over Syracuse in South Bend on Saturday.
Star running back Jeremiyah Love needed just eight carries to rack up 171 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
A first-quarter avalanche from the Irish powered them to a win.
Davion Kerr opened the game with a lengthy return to bring the Orange near midfield, but that was as far as they went. Just two plays later, Filardi aired a short pass intended for Dan Villari, but Jalen Stroman snatched it out of the air and took it the full 44 yards for a pick six.
The Orange couldn’t reciprocate their return efforts, starting their second drive at their own 15. No gain over three plays forced a punt, which resulted in more bad for Syracuse. Stroman tipped Jack Stonehouse’s punt, which flew right into the hands of Luke Talich who pranced into the end zone untouched to make it 14-0.
Filardi finally mustered positive completions and a first down, finding Darius Johnson for a nine-yard gain. However, the next set of downs was more of the same. On 3rd and 4, Filardi attempted a short pass towards the area of Darrell Gill. Jr. on the left sideline, but Leonard Moore was lurking for yet another interception for a touchdown. Moore’s fourth pick of the year made it a 21-0 lead for the Irish through the first 5:17.
Brown introduced freshman quarterback Luke Carney to replace Filardi, but the fourth Syracuse drive ended in another punt. This time the punt successfully flew 54 yards downfield, but an Orange unsportsmanlike conduct pushed CJ Carr’s start to the Notre Dame 41.
Carr threw just one pass to Jordan Faison for 14 yards, and Love did the duties on the next play. The junior rushed 45 yards down the right sideline for another Irish touchdown to make it 28-0 and essentially end the game before the first quarter was finished.
Notre Dame came into the contest with eight straight victories, and were heavy favorites. Syracuse, on the other hand, entered the game without Notre Dame transfer, and starting quarterback Steve Angeli for the seventh straight contest. They started off the campaign 3-1, but Saturday’s defeat in South Bend made it seven straight defeats for the Orange.
Carr enjoyed an early exit after throwing 5-9 for 49 yards and a touchdown. Faison and Micah Gilbert both registered two receptions each.
Love and the Notre Dame rushing attack combined for 329 yards on 24 attempts for six touchdowns.
With 14:36 left in the third quarter, Notre Dame had the football on its own 32-yard line. Carr took the snap up 49-0 and handed the ball off to an energetic Love. The junior rushed the ball up the middle between the tackles, and used his game-breaking speed to beat both safeties to the hole. Love took the ball 68 yards for the Irish’s eighth touchdown of the game.
Aneyas Williams tacked on yet another rushing touchdown later in the game for 30 yards, which Kenny Minchey complemented with a 25-yard burst to the end zone for another score. Despite not matching the first half points total, Notre Dame still put up 21 points in the second half with its backups.
Syracuse struggled horribly throughout the entirety of the game, but quarterback Joseph Filardi found the end zone through a 6-yard rushing touchdown with seven seconds left in the game to make it 70-7.
But the game had been long over by the point.
Jadarian Price made it a five-touchdown game on the next drive, rushing right through the heart of the Orange defense for 58 yards on the third play. Erik Schmidt’s extra point made it a 35-0 game with 4:01 left in the first frame.
On the ensuing Syracuse drive, Notre Dame’s Drayk Bowen got to Carney for a nine-yard sack, forcing the Orange into another punt.
The Irish led a patient attack on their third official offensive drive for touchdown No. 6. After presnap discombobulation prior to the first play of the quarter, Carr found Will Pauling on a simple crossing route in the end zone. The drive was highlighted by a 17-yard burst from Love and a Malachi Field 12-yard reception.
Filardi converted two first downs to begin the drive, including a fourth-down completion to Jaden Hart, but the Orange couldn’t find success twice in a row, failing to convert on fourth down at midfield, giving Notre Dame the ball back in good field position.
The Fighting Irish capitalized easily with Love’s second touchdown of the game. The star running back flew 14 yards down the right sideline for the seventh Notre Dame touchdown of the game to make it 49-0.
Syracuse led the next drive off with a first down, but a Bryce Young sack pinned the Orange back, forcing yet another Jack Stonehouse punt.
The Orange defensive line finally got to Carr, sacking him for a 10-yard loss to force a rare James Rendell punt.
Trip Woody couldn’t turn the Syracuse defensive success into offensive momentum, missing a 48-yard field goal off the post. Filardi effectively brought the Orange into field goal range before the end of the half, but the kicking unit couldn’t finish it off.
Carr finished the half going 4-7 for 42 passing yards and a touchdown. Faison, Fields, Gilbert and Pauling each registered a reception with Pauling collecting the solo touchdown. Love and Price combined for 10 rushing attempts and 171 ground yards.
Filardi and Carney combined for 11-21and just 53 passing yards. Villari finished the half with three receptions for 22 yards.
The Notre Dame offense continued rolling into the second half where Love wrapped up the game early.
The next game for the Irish is their regular season finale away against Stanford on Nov. 29. Kick off is at 10:30 p.m.
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