Game Balls: Tyler Buchner overcomes mistakes, leads ND to Gator Bowl win
The highest-scoring game in Gator Bowl history sparked Marcus Freeman's first postseason victory. And Notre Dame did it because of the performances of two players.
With the help of key plays from Gator Bowl MVP quarterback Tyler Buchner and defensive lineman Rylie Mills, the No. 21 Irish topped No. 19 South Carolina, 45-38, Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla. Notre Dame concludes the season 9-4 and with momentum heading into 2023.
Inside ND Sports awarded game balls to Buchner and Mills for their efforts.
Notre Dame offense: QB Tyler Buchner
As bad — and untimely — as the mistakes might have been, Tyler Buchner prevailed for his best career performance about 17 weeks after he was told his 2022 season was likely over.
Buchner accounted for seven touchdowns — five of which favored Notre Dame — in his return as the Irish signal caller. The most important was the final one – a game-winning touchdown throw to sophomore tight end Mitchell Evans with 1:38 left in regulation.
Buchner's first score Saturday was a 15-yard rushing touchdown with 5:54 to play in the first quarter, which tied the game at 7. Sophomore running back Logan Diggs did the heavy lifting on Buchner's second ND touchdown with a 75-yard reception. However, Buchner made a precise and athletic throw to set up Diggs for paydirt. That cut South Carolina's lead to 24-17 with 5:06 left in the second quarter.
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The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Buchner had an 11-yard score on the ground to knot the game at 24 with 10:28 remaining in the third quarter, which matched his career high in rushing touchdowns. It brought his career total to seven in 13 games played.
But that wasn't close to his best collegiate accomplishment notched Saturday.
In the final 15:31, Buchner threw two touchdowns, bringing his total to three on the day. His first was a 44-yard toss to Braden Lenzy to tie it at 31 with 31 seconds left in the third quarter. The other was his 16-yard loft to Evans to send the Irish to victory. Three passing touchdowns set a new career-high for the sophomore Irish quarterback.
Buchner's two other scores were interceptions returned for touchdowns by South Carolina. He finished the game completing 54.5% (18-33) of his passes for three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also had 12 rushes for 61 yards and two scores.
Notre Dame defense: DL Rylie Mills
The 6-6, 292-pound Mills ensured South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler did not come away with another bowl game MVP trophy.
Two years after Rattler, a former Oklahoma quarterback, propelled the Sooners to a 55-20 Cotton Bowl victory over Florida, Mills shined with a near game-clinching sack in the Sunshine State.
Just as the Gamecocks were gaining momentum on their final offensive drive, Mills took down Rattler on 2nd-and-10 with 55 seconds remaining. Not only did he sack Rattler, but he also forced the one-time Heisman hopeful of making an errant throw for intentional grounding. That play set up 3rd-and-21 for South Carolina, giving the Irish plenty of room to prevent the Gamecocks from moving the chains. And they never did.
Mills led the Irish defensive line with four tackles (two solo), one sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.
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