Notre Dame football survives upset scare, beats Toledo in home opener
Welcome back to Notre Dame Stadium, Irish fans. And Toledo fans, too, for that matter. Everyone inside the venue on Saturday got more than their money’s worth in the first full-capacity game in South Bend in nearly two years.
Toledo took a 29-24 lead over the Irish with 1:35 remaining. Those dressed in green, blue and gold — of which there were many — were stunned. Those in yellow and blue were elated. There were plenty of them as well huddled in the southeast corner of the stadium.
None of it lasted too long.
Notre Dame graduate senior quarterback Jack Coan found sophomore tight end Michael Mayer for an 18-yard touchdown with 1:09 left. The Irish scored on a wacky, bizarre two-point conversion attempt to push its lead to three points.
And that’s how it ended. Notre Dame 32, Toledo 29. Upset averted.
Notre Dame’s first drive of Saturday’s game against Toledo was by no means an indication of what would transpire on the field at Notre Dame Stadium throughout the afternoon.
The Fighting Irish (2-0) scored rather easily on a six-play, 75-yard march that culminated with Coan’s four-yard touchdown pass to Mayer.
Notre Dame was on the move once more on its second drive until Coan was sacked and lost a fumble near midfield. Just about everything thereafter was a grind for the Golden Domers until the fourth quarter.
True freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner, not Coan, generated Notre Dame’s next two touchdown drives. The first play of Buchner’s career was a 26-yard scamper. He gained 11 yards on the ground on the very next play.
Junior running back Kyren Williams ultimately scored on a 43-yard run later in the same drive. Notre Dame went ahead 14-6, but Toledo scored the game’s next 10 points to take a 16-14 lead late in the second quarter.
Neither team scored in the third. Notre Dame senior kicker Jonathan Doerer nailed a 48-yard field goal early in the fourth to regain Notre Dame’s lead. Buchner was given the keys to the Irish offense on the next possession, and he only needed one play to find sophomore running back Chris Tyree for a 55-yard touchdown on a screen.
The Rockets raced back with a 67-yard run from junior running back Bryant Koback that put them near the red zone. Koback scored on an eight-yard shovel pass five plays later to cut Notre Dame’s lead to 24-22 with 7:48 remaining. Toledo’s two-point conversion attempt failed with Notre Dame graduate senior defensive tackle Kurt Hinish applying pressure to the quarterback.
Notre Dame sustained a nine-play, 48-yard drive with Buchner at the helm in the waning minutes of the game before Williams fumbled to give the ball back to Toledo with 3:26 remaining. The Rockets took over at the Notre Dame 27-yard line.
Toledo manufactured the go-ahead drive from there. The Rockets converted on third and 12 near midfield and eventually scored on a quarterback keeper from sophomore Dequan Finn that had the entire Notre Dame defense fooled.
Coan fired back with a 34-yard completion to senior wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. on the first play of Notre Dame’s final drive of the day. It set the tone for the connection Coan and Mayer made shortly in the ensuing moments. A connection that gave Notre Dame its second victory of the season.
Here’s a tally of the scoring plays in Notre Dame's win over Toledo
First quarter
Notre Dame 7, Toledo 0
• Scoring play: Michael Mayer 4-yard pass from Jack Coan
• Drive: six plays, 75 yards, 2:15
Notre Dame 7, Toledo 3
• Scoring play: Thomas Cluckey 31-yard field goal
• Drive: seven plays, 69 yards, 2:32
Notre Dame 7, Toledo 6
• Scoring play: Cluckey 32-yard field goal
• Drive: six plays, 42 yards, 2:49
Second quarter
Notre Dame 14, Toledo 6
• Scoring play: Kyren Williams 43-yard TD run
• Drive: five plays, 96 yards, 2:13
Tyler Buchner was in at quarterback.
Notre Dame 14, Toledo 9
• Scoring play: Cluckey 32-yard field goal
• Drive: 10 plays, 35 yards, 4:00
Toledo 16, Notre Dame 14
• Scoring play: Chris McDonald Jr. 27-yard interception return
Fourth quarter
Notre Dame 17, Toledo 16
• Scoring play: Jonathan Doerer 48-yard field goal
• Drive: 13 plays, 55 yards, 6:11
Notre Dame 24, Toledo 16
• Scoring play: Chris Tyree 55-yard pass from Buchner
• Drive: 1 play, 55 yards, 0:09
Notre Dame 24, Toledo 22
• Scoring play: Bryant Koback 8-yard rush
• Drive: six plays, 89 yards, 3:03
Two-point conversion attempt failed.
Toledo 29, Notre Dame 24
• Scoring play: Dequan Finn 26-yard run
• Drive: seven plays, 73 yards, 1:51
Notre Dame 32, Toledo 29
• Scoring play: Mayer 18-yard pass from Coan
• Drive: three plays, 75 yards, 0:26
Two-point conversion successful
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