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Notre Dame Hard-Rocked At Miami In 41-8 Loss

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Braxton Berrios opened the scoring in Miami's 41-8 victory on this touchdown pass.
Braxton Berrios opened the scoring in Miami's 41-8 victory on this touchdown pass. (Photo by Bill Panzica)
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Any national title dreams Notre Dame might have in the future probably should bypass the city of Miami.

Almost five years after losing the BCS Championship to Alabama by a 42-14 count in Miami’s then-named Sun Life Stadium, the 8-1 and No. 3-ranked Fighting Irish returned to the same venue — this time renamed Hard Rock Stadium — and was crushed by a 41-8 count against the No. 7-ranked Miami Hurricanes.

In both cases, the game was pretty much decided by halftime, trailing 28-0 versus Alabama and 27-0 against Miami. Both times the opponent also drove for a touchdown on its opening possession of the second half to salt away the game for good.

After not turning over the football in junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush’s last five starts, Notre Dame saw the floodgates open with four turnovers while Miami had none, resulting in a 24-0 advantage for the Hurricanes off the miscues.

Trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, the Irish offense never could stabilize itself and temporarily saw Wimbush benched late in the first half. Notre Dame rushed for only 106 yards after entering the game fifth nationally with a 324.8-yard average, and a poor passing attack that resulted in three interceptions (one returned for a score) and a lost fumble on another pass attempt was unable to compensate.


FIRST QUARTER: Miami 14, Notre Dame 0

Top Moments: Miami, which had not scored a first-quarter touchdown since Sept. 29, reached the end zone twice in a span of 1:28.

First, with 4:01 left, Miami quarterback Malik Rosier on second down threw a seven-yard fade to Braxton Berrios for a seven-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play, 58-yard drive. Then after an interception by safety Jaquan Johnson that set up Miami at Notre Dame’s 32-yard line, Rosier on the second play took a draw for a 16-yard score with 2:33 remaining.

Top Performer: Rosier completed 6-of-9 passes for 72 and a touchdown, and carried four times for 28 yards and another TD.

Stats: Miami’s 18 plays accounted for 143 yards, nine rushes for 71 yards and the nine pass attempts totaling 72 yards.

Notre Dame also had nine runs (20 yards) and attempted nine passes (30 yards), a total of 18 plays for 50 yards.

Items: Wimbush finished 2-of-9 for 30 yards, missing his last six passes and tossing his first interception in 122 attempts and six games.


SECOND QUARTER: Miami 27, Notre Dame 0

Top Moment: Trailing 20-0, the Irish drove to Miami’s 38-yard line in the closing minutes. However, when sophomore reserve quarterback Ian Book threw across the field on a slant, Miami freshman cornerback Trajan Bandy read it and easily returned the interception for a 65-yard touchdown with 22 seconds remaining until the intermission.

Top Performer: Miami accounted for only 51 yards total offense in the second quarter, but the Hurricane defense was phenomenal while intercepting three first-half passes, with Bandy’s returned for a score and a second pick setting them up inside the Irish 10-yard line.

Stats: The Hurricanes ran 33 first-half plays for 194 yards (83 rushing and 111 passing). Notre Dame’s 39 plays netted 139 yards (23 carries for 76 yards and 5-of-16 passing for 63 yards. Junior running back Josh Adams had 15 carries for 45 yards at the intermission.

Items: With 13:27 remaining, Michael Badgley gave Miami a 17-0 cushion with a 23-yard field goal.

Miami cornerback Malek Young intercepted a Wimbush pass that he returned to Notre Dame’s nine, but the Irish defense limited the Hurricanes to a 30-yard field goal by Badgley that made it 20-0.

Book was inserted at quarterback with 5:56 left but his first series was three-and-out, prior to the fateful interception. Wimbush was pulled after missing on his last seven passes (two interceptions) and finishing the half 2-of-10 for 30 yards.


THIRD QUARTER: Miami 34, Notre Dame 8

Top Moment: To open the second half, Miami was backed up at its 10-yard line, but proceeded to drive 90 yards in nine plays for a 34-0 advantage at the 10:30 mark, culminated by freshman DeeJay Dallas’ four-yard run.

The Hurricanes converted a fourth-and-9 on a 28-yard jump-ball pass completion from Rosier to 6-5 Lawrence Cager at Notre Dame nine-yard line.

Top Performer: Miami running back Travis Homer had a 40-yard run on the first series that set up a touchdown, and on the last play of the third quarter he tore off a 38-yard scamper. He had seven carries for 108 yards in the third quarter after picking up only 17 yards on five carries in the first half.

Stats: Through three quarters, the Hurricanes had 24 running plays for 198 yards and also attempted 24 passes, completing 15 for 137 yards.

Notre Dame had 214 yards total offense after three quarters, 132 passing and 82 on the ground.

Items: With 12 seconds left, junior tight end Alize Mack made a leaping 14-yard touchdown grab on third-and-4, high-pointing the pass from Wimbush, who then ran for the two-point conversion. It was Mack's first career touchdown. After getting benched in the first half, Wimbush started the second half.


FOURTH QUARTER: Miami, 41 Notre Dame 8

Top Moment: Miami finished the scoring with a four-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal by Dallas at the 4:00 mark.

Top Performer: Freshman defensive end Jonathan Garvin set up the touchdown by knocking the ball from Wimbush just as he cocked his arm to pass, and then also recovered the loose ball at the Miami 30 to record the Hurricanes’ fourth turnover.

Stats: Miami finished with 374 yards total offense (237 rushing, 137 passing) to Notre Dame 261 (109 rushing, 152 passing).

Items: With 10:05 left, Badgley missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt. He had been 21-of-21 in his career between 40 to 49 yards prior to the miss.



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