Notre Dame backmost Jack Coan (17) throws during the archetypal fractional of an NCAA assemblage shot crippled against Georgia Tech, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, successful South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — On a time erstwhile No. 6 Notre Dame did small incorrect successful a 55-0 shutout of beleaguered Georgia Tech connected Saturday, manager Brian Kelly made a transportation for his team’s postseason aspirations successful the College Football Playoff.
“It’s an improving squad that continues to bash the small things the close way,” Kelly said.
Jack Coan threw for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns successful a small much than a fractional and the Fighting Irish (CFP No. 8) had 2 antiaircraft touchdowns for the 2nd clip this play successful winning their sixth consecutive crippled since a 24-13 location nonaccomplishment to No. 3 Cincinnati Oct. 2.
Coan, a grad transportation from Wisconsin, completed 15 of 20 passes. He had first-half touchdown strikes of 52 yards to Michael Mayer and 20 yards to Logan Diggs arsenic the Irish took a 45-0 halftime. Coan exited aft 1 bid successful the 3rd 4th and was replaced by existent freshman Tyler Buchner, who ripped disconnected a 68-yard tally connected his archetypal play.
With Coan directing the offense, and the Irish defence hounding Georgia Tech backmost Jordan Yates each afternoon, Notre Dame improved to 10-1, reaching the 10-win level for the 5th consecutive play by outgaining manager Geoff Collins’ Yellow Jackets (3-8) by a 514-224 yardage margin.
“That’s a truly bully shot team,” Collins said “We got outcoached, out-executed and out-physicalled passim the game.”
The shutout was the archetypal astatine Notre Dame for first-year antiaircraft coordinator Marcus Freeman and archetypal by the Irish since a 52-0 whitewash of South Florida connected Sept. 19 of past play erstwhile the Irish reached the College Football Playoff for the 2nd clip successful 3 seasons. The Irish person present gone 3 games without allowing a touchdown.
“We’ve been successful power of games,” Kelly said. “The backmost is businesslike and pushes the shot down the field, we person 1 of the champion choky ends successful assemblage shot and an improving moving game. This is simply a truly bully shot team.”
Linebacker Jack Kiser had a 43-yard interception instrumentality for a touchdown to springiness the Irish a 10-0 pb aft the archetypal of 2 tract goals by Jonathan Doerer. The Irish past added a 9-yard touchdown tally by Kyren Williams, his archetypal of 2 rushing touchdowns, and Coan’s TD walk to Mayer for a 24-0 pb aft the archetypal quarter. Freshman moving backmost Logan Diggs had 2 touchdowns successful the 2nd quarter, the 2nd connected a reception from Coan, arsenic Notre Dame opened a 45-0 halftime lead.
Grad antiaircraft extremity Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa returned Yates’ fumble caused by antiaircraft extremity Isaiah Foskey 70 yards successful the 3rd 4th arsenic the Irish led 55-0 aft 3 quarters. Notre Dame had 2 interception returns for touchdowns successful a 41-13 triumph implicit Wisconsin earlier this season.
Yates threw for 96 yards connected 14-of-28 passing arsenic Foskey and institution had six sacks, 9 backmost hurries and forced 2 fumbles.
THE TAKEAWAY
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets couldn’t get retired of their ain mode successful the archetypal half, totaling conscionable 117 yards arsenic Notre Dame harassed Yates and constricted freshman moving backmost Jahmyr Gibbs, who was 2nd nationally successful all-purpose yards astatine 168 coming into the game, to conscionable 40 rushing yards successful the archetypal half. He finished with 58 rushing yards and 122 all-purpose yards.
“Obviously, that’s a hurting squad successful there,” Collins said. “That’s not the benignant of shot we’ve played the past mates of weeks. We’ve got to beryllium amended and it starts with me. We’ve got to find a way. We’ve got the No. 1 squad successful the state (Georgia) coming to municipality adjacent Saturday.”
Notre Dame: The Irish couldn’t person played overmuch amended than they did successful the archetypal half, scoring connected each six of their violative possessions and adding the 43-yard interception instrumentality by Kiser, who had 1 of the 2 interception returns for touchdowns against Wisconsin. Kiser, however, near the crippled successful the 2nd 4th with an ankle wounded that Kelly didn’t deliberation was serious.
The 45 first-half points was the astir by the Irish since they scored 45 points against visiting Miami (Ohio) successful a 52-17 triumph successful 2017. The Irish antiaircraft enactment had 7 of its backmost hurries by halftime.
“The defence loves a shutout,” Foskey said aft Notre Dame’s 3rd consecutive crippled without yielding a touchdown. Navy had 2 tract goals and Virginia 1 successful the erstwhile games. “After the past mates of weeks, it was large to spot a zero connected the board.”
CELEBRATING WITH MYRON
Defensive extremity Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa was 1 of respective players who missed the 28-3 triumph astatine Virginia due to the fact that of a flu outbreak connected the Notre Dame campus. But helium wasn’t going to miss the last location crippled of his Notre Dame, and helium went retired successful benignant with his 70-yard fumble instrumentality for a touchdown successful the 3rd quarter.
“The full antiaircraft enactment jumped retired of their seats immediately,” antiaircraft tackle Howard Cross III said. “He’s a large relation model.”
OFFENSE IMPROVING
Mayer was 1 of 11 players to marque a reception. His 3 receptions for 86 yards and 1 touchdown springiness him 55 catches for 663 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Irish finished with 514 yards successful full offense, 302 done the aerial and 212 connected the crushed arsenic Buchner led the mode with 67 rushing yards, freshman moving backmost Audric Estime had 61 yards and Williams finished 56 yards connected the crushed and added 31 receiving yards and 33 much yards connected punt returns.
“I deliberation we’ve decidedly recovered our identity,” the 6-foot-4 1/2, 251-pound sophomore said. “Coan’s been throwing the shot great. Kyren’s been moving the shot great. … Our discourtesy is truly coming together.”
POLLS IMPLICATIONS
Depending connected the result of aboriginal games, Notre Dame apt solidified its No. 6 ranking successful The Associated Press ranking and astir apt would determination up a spot Tuesday successful the College Football Rankings with Ohio State’s 56-7 thrashing of No. 7 Michigan State.
UP NEXT
Georgia Tech: Host No. 1 Georgia connected Saturday.
Notre Dame: At Stanford connected Saturday.
English (US) ·