Despite stepping into an environment that seemed ripe for a potential upset, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish easily handled the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday in a 31-13 victory. The win improved the Irish’s season record to 6-1 and marked the team’s fifth straight victory, keeping them in the conversation for the postseason playoffs.
Another slow start was quickly forgotten by two six-pointers in the second quarter and another in the third quarter. The defense, which delivered another standout effort, officially put its stamp on the win as safety Adon Shuler’s fourth-quarter pick-six made it a 31-7 contest. Tech managed to make the score somewhat more presentable by scoring in the final minute of the game.
Below are some of the key facets of the game:
Early Stalemate
Both teams ended up punting on their respective first drives, with Tech having slightly more success with a single first down. Notre Dame then appeared to be in a position to build momentum by moving the chains on a fourth-and-one call at midfield, courtesy of a Riley Leonard keeper. However, that success quickly died on the next play when Leonard’s deep pass was intercepted in the end zone and returned to the Yellow Jackets 29.
From there, Tech went on a seven-minute, 71-yard scoring drive that lasted for 13 plays and ate up the remainder of the first quarter clock. Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes was temporarily stripped of the ball at the one by Jack Kiser but managed to fall on the ball just past the goal line for the first score of the contest.
Taking Control
After that early deficit, Notre Dame got into a groove for the remainder of the game on both sides of the ball. Immediately answering Tech’s touchdown with one of their own the Irish picked up healthy chunks of real estate during the second quarter. By the end of the game, the Irish’s effective rushing attack had gained 168 yards, helping them hold onto the ball for over 35 minutes.
One reason why Notre Dame was able to eat up so much clock was because the defense helped shut down a rushing attack that gained 371 yards one week before. Tech gained just 64 yards on the ground and was held to a manageable 262 after the first scoring drive. The Irish pass defense did allow a 60-yard pass to start off a third-quarter drive, but the special teams unit came through to negate that when Bryce Young blocked a Yellow Jackets field goal attempt.
Passing Variety
Though Leonard scored two touchdowns on the ground and finished with 51 yards on the afternoon, he made up for his early miscue through the air. He ended the day by completing 20 of 29 passes for 203 yards and managed to connect with nine different receivers. The group was led by Beaux Collins’ five grabs for 51 yards.
Notre Dame’s first score was largely fueled by the pass, with six catches accounting for 58 of the 75 yards on the drive. The last of those receptions was a clutch third-down catch by freshman Aneyas Williams, who gained 10 yards to put the ball at the Tech three-yard-line. The Irish’s next two touchdowns each got started with receptions of over 20 yards by Jeremiyah Love and Jaden Greathouse, respectively.
Nothing to Kick About
After regular Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter’s status was ruled questionable because of a groin injury, there was some concern about whether the Irish had the requisite depth for this vital position. When Jeter was officially ruled out, that put the onus on walk-on Zak Yoakam, who performed his job well.
Yoakam converted all four of Notre Dame’s extra points and also booted a 42-yard field goal that gave the Irish a 24-7 lead with 10 minutes left in the game. That tally helped deliver a payoff for a risky call by the Irish, who managed to pull off a fake punt with a reverse to Love. Right now, it’s not certain if Jeter will be back in action next week, but Notre Dame fans should be breathing easier after seeing Yakam in action.
Next Up
A matchup that dates back nearly a century is renewed when Notre Dame and Navy face off next Saturday. The Irish have long dominated this series, holding a commanding 82-13-1 advantage in their meetings with the Midshipmen. Navy enters this clash undefeated at 6-0 after routing Charlotte, 51-17, on Saturday. This nearly annual clash has taken place in many different venues over the years, with the 2024 edition taking place in the New Jersey Meadowlands for the eighth time. Notre Dame has won six of the previous seven, with Navy notching its lone victory the last time the matchup took place there in 2010.
