Cincinnati Beats Notre Dame 24-13, Ending Irish Home Winning Streak
Cincinnati talked the talk all week and when it mattered most the Bearcats walked the walk, beating Notre Dame 24-13 in a battle of Top 10 teams. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly saw his team's 26 game home winning streak ended by his former school.
It was a rough performance from the start, as Notre Dame's first drive of the game marched deep into Cincinnati territory but ended with Jack Coan getting pressured and then throwing an errant pass that was intercepted.
The Irish defense held early, but a second Notre Dame interception - this one by Tyler Buchner - gave the Bearcats the football at the ND 8-yard line. After Cincinnati punched it into the end zone to take a 7-0 lead, Notre Dame kick returner Chris Tyree fumbled the ensuing kick and the Bearcats recovered, ultimately extending the lead to 10-0 with a field goal after just a 12-yard drive.
Notre Dame's offense was anemic in the first half and failed to get on the board. A stout Irish defense faltered on the final drive of the half as Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder completed throws of 27 and 22 yards to get the Bearcats deep into Notre Dame territory. Ridder then hit Tre Tucker on a corner route for a 27-yard touchdown, beating Kyle Hamilton on the play.
Coan was benched at halftime for Drew Pyne but the early results were the same, as Notre Dame punted on its opening drive.
The defense finally gave the offense a spark when Isaiah Foskey sacked and stripped Ridder, and linebacker Drew White picked up the ball and returned it to the Cincinnati 38 yard line.
Pyne hit tight end Michael Mayer for a gain of 16 yards and then scrambled for 11 to set up a short Kyren Williams run that got the Irish on the board.
After a quick three-and-out by the Notre Dame offense allowed Cincinnati to move the ball and take time off the clock, but the Irish remained alive when Cole Smith missed his second field goal attempt of the game.
Notre Dame responded with its best drive of the game, with Pyne hitting Lorenzo Styles to move the chains on a 3rd-and-8 and then hitting Mayer for 20 yards to convert another third-down. Two plays later Pyne underthrew a deep ball but Braden Lenzy made a great catch for a 32-yard touchdown.
Jonathan Doerer kept it a two possession game by missing the extra point.
Notre Dame needed a stop, but the defense faltered and allowed Cincinnati to go right down the field for a score. The key was a 36-yard gain up the seam by tight end Leonard Taylor, and Ridder capped it off with a 6-yard run to put the game away.
Cincinnati out-gained Notre Dame 386-341. Notre Dame's sloppy performance was highlighted by seven penalties and three turnovers.
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