:: Notre Dame Football: Irish Game Day ::
Notre Dame Beats Boston College 31-13 in Chestnut Hill;
Irish rise to challenge in decisive turning-point for season
Leprechaun Express: Notre Dame Football Intel Update Oct. 3, 2010
Notre Dame exploded out of the gates with a 21-0 first quarter and then took care of business, defeating Boston College 31-13 in front of a boisterous sell-out crowd at Alumni Stadium and a national prime-time television audience.
Defense Holds Boston College to Five Yards Rushing
The Irish defense limited Boston College to 5 yards net rushing on the night. This included limiting the Eagles top running back to 28 yards on 15 carries, for less than 2 yards per carry. Among defensive leaders, linebackers Carlo Calabrese and Manti Te'o each had 10 tackles, and nose guard Ian Williams had 4.
Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly, at his post-game press conference, said run defense had been a special area of focus for Notre Dame's defense, and that big stops were key to the Irish defensive effort:
Our defense played great against the run. We really focused on taking the run away, knowing that there would be quarterbacks coming in and out of the game. I think we really focused on the rush game and I think we ended up holding BC to five yards in rushing. Anytime you win on the road, we played good rush defense, get off to a good start - we have a lot of work to do again. Those are the things you are looking for on the road. We were able to come up with some real big stops defensively as well.
Notre Dame 21-0 First Quarter
Notre Dame was explosive in the first quarter, with freshman speedster Bennett Jackson taking the opening kick-off back 46 yards to mid-field. (Jackson, possibly the fastest player on the team with Theo Riddick, also will be remembered by Irish fans as the runaway freight train who made tackle after tackle deep in Purdue territory, as a kick-off gunner in the opening game.)
After Jackson's kickoff return, Notre Dame covered 50 yards in 4 plays in their opening drive, including a 30-yard run by Notre Dame senior running back Armando Allen. Notre Dame junior quarterback Dayne Crist faked a hand-off and ran it in from 7 yards out to put Notre Dame up 7-0 just 1:48 into the game.
On Notre Dame's third possession, they drove 59 yards on 9 plays, including 4 of 6 passing by Crist (with one incompletion on a play where the defender was called for pass intereference), with Crist hitting tight end Kyle Rudolph for a 2-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead.
In a quarter where Boston College was largely ineffective on offense, Notre Dame scored again on their very next possession, driving 72 yards in 7 plays, capped off by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Crist to sophomore wide receiver Theo Riddick. Crist had 3 of 5 passing on the 7-play drive, and the Crist-to-Riddick touchdown put the Irish up 21-0.
Well we got off to a fast start I think that was key on the road against a team that obviously that has given us trouble. We talked about getting off to the fast start I think we had three touchdowns in our first four possessions which obviously gave us a lot of confidence early on.
Quarterback Crist observed that the fast start was part of wanting to come out hard against a tough Boston College defense:
We had to come out ready to play. The guys knew this was going to be a tough BC defense. We have a lot of respect for them and we knew we had to come out with a great intensity and we knew that they would match that. It was one of those situations where guys came ready to go and I'm really proud of the offense.
Boston College Tries to Battle, Notre Dame Has Two Turnovers,
Then Notre Dame Takes Care of Business
Boston College did get on the board in the second quarter, on a 58-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open receiver to make it 21-7.
And Notre Dame once again was bitten by the turnover bug, with two fumbles on the day, both in the second quarter. Boston College got a field goal from each fumble, to make it 21-13.
(Notre Dame also had an interception, albeit in the fourth quarter.)
Notre Dame got another good kickoff return from Jackson, with a BC penalty added on, to set up a 26-yard drive culminating in a 37-yard David Ruffer field goal to make it 24-13 Irish, the score at the half.
Already stifling Boston College a bit on defense, in Notre Dame's second possession of the third quarter the Irish offense seized total command of the game. Notre Dame mounted a decisive 76-yard, 14-play drive culminating in a 2-yard touchdown run by Allen and a 31-13 lead that would be the final margin of victory.
Offense Balanced, Getting Back on Track
Junior quarterback Dayne Crist paced the Irish on offense with 24 of 44 passing for 203 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, as well as a 7-yard rushing touchdown that got the Irish on the board 7-0.
Senior running back Armando Allen had a rushing touchdown, as well as a 30-yard run on the opening drive that helped set up the first touchdown. On the day, Allen had 19 carries for 90 yards, at 4.7 yards per carry.
Tight end Kyle Rudolph, still fighting out of a hamstring injury, had a 2-yard receiving touchdown, his only catch of the night, but a key play that put Notre Dame up 14-0.
Wide receivers Theo Riddick and Michael Floyd each had 69 yards receiving. Riddick had 9 catches, including a sure-handed, sure-footed 20-yard touchdown reception. Floyd got his 69 yards in 4 catches, including a 35-yard catch.
Allen added, to his rushing totals, 4 catches for 26 yards, for 116 all-purpose yards on the day.
Notre Dame cranked out 315 yards of total offense.
Irish Defense Getting Stronger
In a perseverant defensive effort that gave up only 5 yards net rushing, Notre Dame's defense only surrendered 270 yards total offense, snagged 2 interceptions, and sacked Boston College 5 times.
As mentioned above, among defensive leaders, linebackers Carlo Calabrese and Manti Te'o each had 10 tackles on the night, and nose guard Ian Williams had 4.
Entering the game, Te'o was the #1 tackler in college football, and his 10-tackle performance was not much below his previous average of a little more than 13 tackles per game.
Linebackers Brian Smith and Dan Fox, rotating in off the bench, each had 3 tackles, as did safety Zeke Motta.
Boston College had to play two quarterbacks, who combined for 265 yards through the air on 27 of 47 passing for 1 passing touchdown against the 2 interceptions.
Cornerback Robert Blanton and safety Harrison Smith snagged the interceptions, and Blanton also had a sack
Linebacker Prince Shembo, rotating off the bench, had 2 sacks; total tackles-co-leader Calabrese had 1 sack, and nose guard Tyler Stockton had a sack rotating off the bench.
Decisive Turning Point for the Irish Season
At a decisive turning-point in their season, Notre Dame stepped up to the challenge.
Notre Dame's first road win of the Brian Kelly era puts them at 2-3 against a murderer's row schedule, and in a position to climb back to .500 if they win at home against Pitt next week. After Pitt, Notre Dame enters the second half of their season, where top opponents alternate with programs that are strong but not as highly touted.
The victory, coming when it did, in the circumstances and context surrounding it, is all the more impressive.
Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly has demonstrated that, in addition to being a technically sound, bread-and-butter football coach, he is a competitive sportsman who knows how to win.
Notre Dame Takes Upper Hand in Series with BC
The Notre Dame victory in Chestnut Hill, building upon last year's tight win, helps address some institutional memory issues:
::Notre Dame now has victories over Boston College in consecutive years for the first time since 1997-98
:: Notre Dame now has its first victory over the Eagles in Alumni Stadium since 1998
:: Notre Dame now has ended what was previously a three-game losing streak for the Irish in Chestnut Hill
:: the Fighting Irish improve to 11-9 (.550) in the all-time series with Boston College
Check Back for More Information and Updates
- Back to the Top -
:: Box Score and Statistics - Notre Dame vs. Boston College, Oct. 2, 2010 - UND.com
:: Notre Dame Post-Game Quotes - Notre Dame vs. Boston College 2010 - UND.com
:: Notre Dame vs. Boston College Post-Game Notes 2010 - UND.com
:: Notre Dame vs. Boston College Game Notes [PDF]
:: Notre Dame vs. Boston College Game Week - UND.com
:: Notre Dame 2010 statistical summary - NCAA database
:: Notre Dame Roster
:: Notre Dame Football official site - UND.com
:: Boston College statistics - NCAA database
:: Boston College Football official site
:: Notre Dame Football 2010 Media Guide (Table of Contents, PDF sections)
:: Notre Dame Football 2010 Media Guide (Table of Contents, Flash)
Keywords: Notre Dame Football,Brian Kelly, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Boston College
Leprechaun Express Site Map Main Divisions
Home | Newswire | Game Day | Depth Chart | Schedule | Irish Lore | Recruiting |
© 2007-2012 All Rights Reserved
While founded and directed by a Notre Dame alumnus, this site itself has no official affiliation with, or licensure from, the University of Notre Dame du Lac. It does recommend you also visit the official Notre Dame Athletics site at www.und.com. Go Irish!
Steven C. Welsh, Editor and Contributor
Steven C. Welsh, Web Design and Graphic Design
