Three quick, explosive touchdowns in the second quarter propelled No. 7-ranked Notre Dame to a 38-7 halftime lead en route to a 66-14 blowout victory against New Mexico Saturday afternoon in Notre Dame Stadium.
In a total of 49 seconds that required only five plays, Notre Dame scored on 59- and 65-yard catch-and-runs by junior Avery Davis and senior Javon McKinley on forward laterals from senior quarterback Ian Book, and then Book found senior Chase Claypool on a post for a 37-yard tally that made it 35-0.
Defensively, Notre Dame had first-half pass interceptions from freshman safety Kyle Hamilton — who returned it 34 yards for the game’s first score at the 10:09 mark of the first quarter — senior safety Jalen Elliott and fifth-year senior cornerback Shaun Crawford. The last two set up the scores from Davis and Claypool.
Sophomores C’Bo Flemister at running back and Braden Lenzy at receiver tallied their first career touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
1. TOP 3 STORYLINES
• The yards after catch played a huge role in Book’s 15 of 24 passing for 360 yards and five touchdowns. It marked the ninth time ever a Notre Dame quarterback threw five touchdown passes in a game, led by Brady Quinn’s three (with a school record six versus BYU in 2005). Jimmy Clausen and DeShone Kizer achieved it twice apiece, and current Fighting Irish quarterbacks coach Tom Rees once.
• With starting running back Jafar Armstrong sidelined at least a month because of an abdominal tear and sophomore Jahmir Smith, who scored two touchdowns in the opener at Louisville, shelved with a sprained toe, Notre Dame relied more on the pass and jet sweeps, with runners working up a sprint to the ball laterally. Book led the ground game with 46 yards on nine carries.
• Hamilton’s interception return for a touchdown was the first by a Notre Dame freshman since Sept. 27, 2008, when Robert Blanton achieved the feat on a 47-yard return during a 38-21 victory at home versus Purdue.
Like Hamilton’s, it was the first touchdown of the game by the Fighting Irish, although Blanton's came when they were trailing 7-0.
2. TURNING POINT
New Mexico trailed only 14-0 midway through the second quarter and had a first down at Notre Dame’s 41-yard line. A three-yard tackle for loss by senior drop end Daelin Hayes was followed by Elliott’s interception. One play later, Davis’ 59-yard catch-and-run of a shovel pass from Book opened the floodgates that saw Notre Dame score three touchdowns in 4:44.
The score was 14-0 with 6:44 remaining in the first half when Notre Dame regained possession, and with 1:50 left it had mushroomed to 35-0.
3. STAT OF THE GAME
On Book’s 59-, 65- and 54-yard touchdown passes to Davis, McKinley and Finke, respectively, the ball traveled only about nine yards from the line of scrimmage. The scores by Davis and Finke were basically jet sweeps but counted as forward laterals. It tremendously aided Book’s passing efficiency numbers.
4. MY GAME BALL
McKinley, who had not caught a pass his first three years, was suspended some this spring for an off-the-field disciplinary matter, and had a murky future, scored twice. The first was a superb 65-yard weaving run through traffic in the second quarter in which he made about a half-dozen defenders miss. The second in the third quarter was a 20-yard jump ball into the end zone that he won to provide Notre Dame a 52-7 lead.
5. HISTORICAL FOOTNOTE
This was the most points scored by Notre Dame in a home opener since 1932, when it defeated Haskell (located in Lawrence, Kansas, the home state of director of then athletics Jesse Harper) 73-0.
The point total at home was the highest overall by Notre Dame since Nov. 5, 1977, a 69-14 decision against Georgia Tech by the eventual national champs.
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