Notre Dame Dominates In 41-24 Win Over No. 16 Syracuse

Entering Saturday’s game at No. 16 Syracuse, Notre Dame had been an up and down football team through seven games. They left upstate New York on an upswing after a dominating 41-17 win.

The Fighting Irish (5-3) moved to two games above .500 for the first time this season, while handing Syracuse (6-2) its second consecutive loss. Two interceptions, a blocked punt and 246 rushing yards were the difference in a second straight win.

Brandon Joseph stunned the JMA Wireless Dome crowd on the game’s first play when he jumped in front of a Garrett Schrader slant pass for his first interception in an Irish uniform. Joseph returned the pick 29 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Notre Dame lead just :07 seconds into the game.

It was just the second interception of the season for the Notre Dame defense and the fourth interception by Schrader in the last three games.

Schrader and the Orange tied the score by going on a seven-play, 53-yard touchdown drive when they got the ball back. The drive started at the Orange 47 after a phantom face mask penalty on the kickoff on Ramon Henderson. Schrader capped it with a 13-yard strike to Oronde Gadsen II in the end zone to make it a 7-7 game.

Notre Dame’s first offensive drive drove 54 yards in 12 plays, but stalled at the Orange 21. Blake Grupe’s missed 39-yard field goal kept the scored tied. The Irish went with an old school I-formation on the first two plays of the drive, with fullback Audric Estime gaining a combined nine yards on back to back runs.

After forcing a pair of Syracuse 3-and-outs, the Fighting Irish offense asserted its will on its third possession of the day. Logan Diggs capped an 11-play, 55-yard march to pay dirt with a three-yard touchdown run. They ran the ball on all but two plays on the drive to take a 14-7 lead.

The Irish defense forced four straight Orange punts and Notre Dame had the ball with 3:00 minutes to play in the first half, looking like they had a golden opportunity. But Drew Pyne stared down Michael Mayer on first down on a deep pass down the middle of the field for an interception.

The high pass was tipped by Mayer into the arms of Syracuse safety Ja’Had Carter, who returned the ball to the Irish 42. The Notre Dame defense stiffened again and the Orange turned the ball over on downs.

Notre Dame took over at its own 39 with 1:18 to play in the first half. They needed six plays to cover 61 yards for Pyne’s three-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Thomas to give the Irish a 21-7 lead with :17 seconds to play in the half.

The big play of the drive was a 37-yard pass to Michael Mayer to move the ball to the Syracuse 14. The catch moved Mayer past Tyler Eifert as Notre Dame’s all-time receiving yardage leader. Eifert finished his prestigious Irish career with 1,840 yards.

Notre Dame dominated the first half offensively. The Fighting Irish ran for 120 yards to Syracuse’s 38. Pyne was 8 of 14 for 105 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Irish had 225 total yards to the Orange’s 73.

Schrader was 5 of 14 for 35 yards passing, while running back Sean Tucker had 11 carries for 42 yards.

Schrader did not start the second half due to an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by freshman Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, who was 3 for 5 passing for 34 yards in three games entering the day.

Neither team scored on its first drive of the second half. The second Irish drive of the half started at the Syracuse 35 after a shanked punt by Max Von marburg. They pushed their lead after a 31-yard Grupe field goal to make it 24-7.

An Andrew Szmyt 54-yard field goal for Syracuse made it a 24-10 game. The Irish went 3-and-out on their next drive. Drew Pyne was sacked by Jatius Geer on 3rd down. He was hit hard and was fortunate to hold onto the ball, but he was able to get up and walk to the sideline before Jon Sot’s fourth punt of the day.

Syracuse zipped down field after starting with the ball at its own 33. Consecutive throws by Del Rio-Wilson of 23 and 30 yards, to Damien Alford and D’Marcus Adams, respectively, moved the ball to the Irish four, when Tucker ran left for a touchdown to make it just a 24-17 game. The backup quarterback was 5 of 9 for 104 passing yards in the 3rd quarter.

With Notre Dame’s offense bogged down, Syracuse’s next drive started at its own 25, but only lasted two plays when Marist Liufau intercepted a Del Rio-Wilson pass. The ball was batted in the air at the line of scrimmage by Howard Cross.

The Irish started with the ball at their own 46 and charged to the end zone when Estime scored from 11 yards out. Chris Tyree started the drive with five straight runs for 17 yards.

Pyne hit Deion Colzie on a crucial 3rd and 6 pass for an 11-yard gain on the drive. It was Colzie’s third catch of the day after he entered the game without a reception this season. The Estime touchdown came out of 14 (four tight end) personnel and made it 31-17 with 9:11 remaining.

The Irish defense forced its fourth 3-and-out Orange possession and then the special teams came up big again. Clarence Lewis shot off the right side of the Irish line to block the punt. It’s Notre Dame’s fifth blocked punt of the season and third in the last two games.

Estime scored his second touchdown on a dive to the end zone from the two-yard line on the only play of the Irish drive to make it 38-17 with 7:47 on the clock. The Fighting Irish turned two interceptions and the blocked punt into 21 points.

Estime left last week’s game against UNLV with three carries for 17 yards after his third fumble in three games. He churned out bruising yard after bruising yard with 20 carries for 123 yards and two touchdown runs. He never put the ball on the ground.

Diggs ran the ball 20 times for 85 yards. Mayer led the Irish with three catches for 54 yards.

With Notre Dame playing a prevent defense, Syracuse used eight plays to march 85 yards for its third touchdown of the day. Del Rio-Wilson hit Adams with a 13-yard pass to complete the drive and make it a 38-24 game.

An onside kick attempt was recovered by Mayer to give Notre dame the ball at the Syracuse 47 with 5:43 to play. The Irish drove to the two, but settled for a 20-yard Grupe field goal for a 41-24 lead.

Pyne finished his day 9 for 19 for 116 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Notre Dame’s 246 rushing yards gave them their second straight game of 200 or more yards on the ground. They’ve done it in four of their last five games.

Syracuse had just 61 yards on the ground. Tucker finished with 16 carries for 60 yards. Orange backup QB Del Rio-Wilson was 11 for 22 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

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