Notre Dame-South Florida: By The Numbers
0 Points scored by South Florida, marking the fourth shutout of the 11-year Brian Kelly era. The others were 38-0 versus Wake Forest in 2012, 31-0 against Michigan in 2014, and the same 52-0 tally last season against Bowling Green last year as the one this year with the Bulls. The Irish also had four total in the 13 years from 1997-2009.
In 28 games under defensive coordinator Clark Lea, Notre Dame has allowed more than 30 points only once, and in 16 the opposition finished with 17 points or less.
2 Youngest offensive coordinators in the Football Bowl Subdivision were featured with South Florida’s 27-year-old Charlie Weis Jr. and Notre Dame’s 28-year old Tommy Rees — who nearly rallied the Irish from a 16-0 halftime deficit as a sophomore quarterback in the Sept. 3, 2011 opener versus South Florida while coming off the bench.
3 Rushing touchdowns by fifth-year senior Ian Book, tying for second place a Notre Dame single-game record by a quarterback. Brandon Wimbush holds the standard with four while rushing for 207 yards in a 49-20 victory at Boston College in 2017.
4 Teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision that have defeated Notre Dame without the Fighting Irish returning the favor: Connecticut (0-1), Georgia (0-3), Oregon State (0-2), Tulsa (0-1).
The list was pared down from the five entering the game because South Florida had stunned Notre Dame in their lone previous meeting, 23-20, in the 2011 opener.
6 Points scored by freshman defensive end Jordan Botelho on a blocked punt by sophomore linebacker Osita Ekwonu in the third quarter that extended the lead to 45-0. It was the second time in four games a defensive lineman scored for the Irish, with the graduated Khalid Kareem doing so last year in the regular season finale at Stanford. Current fifth-year senior end Ade Ogundeji also reached the end zone in a victory last September versus Virginia.
13 Combined tackles by two first-time starters on defense, sophomore Buck linebacker Jack Kiser (8, two for loss) and freshman cornerback Clarence Lewis (5, one for loss), which ranked first and tied for second on the team. Twelve of those 13 were solo on an afternoon when 21 different Fighting Irish defensemen were credited with tackles.
20 Consecutive victories in Notre Dame Stadium by the Fighting Irish, the second-longest winning streak in the facility’s 90-year history which opened in 1930. Entering the USF game it was tied for second with 19 that was accomplished from 1987-90. The record is 28 from 1942-50.
The home winning streak also is the fourth longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision, behind Clemson (24), Ohio State (21) and UCF (20).
26 Straight wins by Notre Dame against unranked opposition, which ranks currently No. 2 nationally to Alabama, which hasn’t fallen to such an upset since 2007. The school record is 29 that was set from 1990 through 1994.
60 Yards receiving by junior tight end Tommy Tremble, a career high that eclipsed his previous benchmark of 49 in the 2019 opener at Louisville. Last week against Duke, Tremble set a personal high in receptions in one game with five.
127 Yards rushing by junior running back C’Bo Flemister, a career high, on 13 carries. He totaled 162 yards last season in his first action at Notre Dame, and did not play in this year’s opener because of a collarbone injury, per head coach Brian Kelly. The top two running backs, sophomore Kyren Williams (62 yards) and freshman Chris Tyree (65 yards), combined for that same total between them versus USF.
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