Notre Dame Gets Back On Track, Beats UNLV 44-21

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Aided by a pair of Isaiah Foskey blocked punts, Notre Dame posted its best scoring first half of the season to cruise to a 44-21 win over UNLV Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish offense scored on four of their first five possessions of the game, while the defense forced seven 3 and out drives by UNLV, two of which ended in blocks.

Notre Dame got the ball first and waltzed to the end zone on the game’s opening drive. Drew Pyne hit Michael Mayer on a 23-yard gain to move near midfield on the second play. Pyne was nearly intercepted when he underthrew the big tight end a play later.

The junior quarterback then hit Jayden Thomas on a deep post on 3rd and 10 for a gain of 37 and then Audric Estime scored, nearly untouched, on a 12-yard run to make it 7-0. It was Notre Dame’s first touchdown of the first quarter this season.

After forcing a UNLV three and out on the Rebels’ first possession, Notre Dame drove to the 25-yard line on its second drive. Blake Grupe’s 43-yard field goal made it a 10-0 lead with 10:06 still to play in the first quarter.

The Rebels needed just three plays to cover 75 yards on the ensuing possession to jump right back in the game. Courtney Reese zipped 74 yards on a run to the left to put the ball at the Irish one. JD Bertrand ran him down on the play, but Jordan Younge-Humphrey scored two plays later to make it 10-7.

The Irish went three and out on their next drive, but it wasn’t because Pyne tried to force the ball to a double covered Mayer or because he didn’t see a wide open receiver. Pyne found Lorenzo Styles to his left, but the receiver dropped a ball that hit his hands in stride to force the kick.

Notre Dame’s special teams came up big at the end of UNLV’s next drive. Isaiah Foskey blocked Marshall Nichols’ punt and Jordan Botelho recovered at the Rebel 20. Pyne found Mayer for a 20-yard touchdown pass two plays later to make it 17-7. The block was Notre Dame’s second in the last two games and third of the season.

It was déjà vu on UNLV’s next drive. Another three and out led to another Isaiah Foskey blocked punt, this time with help from Prince Kollie, and the Irish took over at the 14. The Irish moved to the nine and settled for a 27-yard field goal from Grupe.

The kick followed a replay overturn of a touchdown pass to Michael Mayer. The review showed the ball hit the ground as the tight end attempted to dive to make a catch at the goal line. Foskey became the first Fighting Irish player to ever block two punts in the same game (records dating back to 1937).

Notre Dame didn’t block the next Rebel punt, but still got the ball at the UNLV 32 after a short kick and a 20-yard return by Brandon Joseph. The Irish only gained four yards on the drive and settled for a 46-yard Grupe field goal to go on top 23-7 with still 1:18 remaining in the first quarter.

Pyne handed the ball to Audric Estime on the first two plays of the 2nd quarter. Estime fumbled on his second run, giving UNLV the ball at the Irish 43. The Notre Dame defense forced its sixth three and out of the half though.

The next Irish drive started with great promise, but ended with a fizzle. Pyne hit Mayer on passes of 27 and 34 yards, the second on a one-handed catch by the tight end with a Rebel defensive back draped on him, to move to deep into UNLV territory. The drive ended when Pyne’s 4th and three pass to Mayer was broken up in the end zone.

Notre Dame zipped down the field on its next drive for its third touchdown of the day. Mitchell Evans scored from a yard out on 1st and goal after a 21-yard scramble by Pyne, who was hit in the helmet by UNLV linebacker Fred Thompkins. Pyne left the game for the direct snap play to Evans. The Thompkins hit was never flagged for targeting, despite replay showing helmet to helmet contact.

UNLV connected on pass plays of 13 and 26 yards on consecutive plays of its following drive, but Clarence Lewis stripped Rebel receiver Rickey White of the ball and recovered the fumble at the ND 42 to snuff the brief rally,

Freshman Steve Angeli took over for Pyne at quarterback on the first two plays of the ensuing Irish drive. Pyne emerged from the injury tent on the sideline and replaced Angeli after two runs by Logan Diggs.

The Irish drove to the UNLV 21 before Pyne’s third down pass was batted at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by a diving Nohl Williams. Pyne overthrew a wide open Chris Tyree for what would have been a sure touchdown on the previous play.

Pyne was 9 for 20 for 173 yards passing in the first half to help the Irish outgain the Rebels 287-135 in total yards and a 30-7 scoreboard lead.

UNLV had the ball to start the second half and moved to the Irish 49. They faced 4th and 11 and lined up to punt, but Notre Dame was flagged for offsides and the Rebels opted to go for it. Foskey came up with his third sack of the day when Cameron Friel tried to run from the pocket. Notre Dame took over at the Rebel 42. The offense moved to the UNLV 24 before Grupe’s knuckleball 42-yard field goal missed.

Reese popped a 47-yard run to start UNLV’s next drive, giving them the ball at the Irish 29. Third string quarterback Harrison Bailey scrambled for a 1st down on 4th and two from the eight. He was chased out of the pocket and scored from two yards out two plays later to make it a 30-14 game with 8:06 to play in the 3rd quarter.

Reese finished with 142 yards on 11 carries for an average of 12.9 yards per tote.

Notre Dame then went on a methodical, clock and yardage chewing drive, which was capped by an eight-yard Chris Tyree touchdown run. The drive consuming 7:08 on clock as it covered 62 yards on 13 plays. Diggs ran the ball nine times for 45 yards before Tyree finished it to put the Irish up 37-14.

Diggs ended his day with a career-high 28 carries for 130 yards.

Younge-Humphrey scored his second touchdown of the day with 8:02 remaining to make it a 37-21 game. UNLV followed it with an onside kick, which was recovered by Deion Colzie at the Rebel 46.

The Irish marched the 46 yards in nine plays and 5:06 on the clock. Braden Lenzy finished the drive with a four-yard touchdown on a shovel pass to make it 44-21. It was his first TD of the season and he became the fifth different Notre Dame player to score.

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