How dominant was Notre Dame’s 70-7 win over Syracuse? Consider this: Not only did the Irish lead 21-0 before most fans had consumed their first beverage Saturday afternoon, but they also scored those 21 points before the Irish offense ever stepped foot on the field.
Notre Dame scored 70 points, the most in modern history and the most since scoring 73 points in a 1932 win over Haskell, while passing the ball just 15 times for 67 yards. Those service academy passing numbers didn’t come because of any offense struggles. They came because Notre Dame’s suffocating defense turned the game into an early route.
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The 207 total yards allowed, which included 75 on the last drive of the game with Irish reserves on the field, is a season low surrendered by the defense. They finished with 15 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 3.0 interceptions, 5.0 quarterback pressures, and 3.0 pass breakups. In a game that was over before the end of the first quarter, the Fighting Irish defense gave no quarter as it continues to raise the bar on itself with every passing game.
While Notre Dame’s offense has remained consistent throughout the season, it’s the evolution of the defense that has turned the Irish into true championship contenders again this season. The same defense that allowed an average of 32.6 points through the first three games has allowed an average of just 10.3 points during the current nine-game winning streak and the last two touchdowns allowed have come at the end of long-decided outcomes with reserves on the field.
“They’ve really played consistent, really good defense,” Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said after his Irish ransacked Syracuse. “So, I think about last week. They didn’t give up a touchdown until the end of the game, the last drive of the game, and then they gave up three points when the ball was in the red zone, and you think about what they did this week is not only are you keeping teams out of the end zone, but you’re scoring points now on defense. I mean, they’ve been as consistent and really playing as well as I’ve seen. Now, the thing I think is really great is they’re stopping the run. They’re stopping the run, which is forcing teams to throw the ball, and we’re doing some good things in coverage, too. But they’re playing as good as I’ve been around.”
Jeremiyah Love’s condensed game against Syracuse was efficient, productive and explosive all at once. The junior Heisman Trophy contender made the most of his eight carries by rushing for 171 yards and touchdown runs of 45, 14 and 68 yards to average an out of this world 21.4 yards per carry. He became just the third player in all of college football since 1996 to have 170 or more rushing yards and three touchdowns on eight carries or less.
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Love now has 20 total touchdowns this season, tying him with Jerome Bettis (1991) for most in a single season in Notre Dame history. The dynamic back has 1,306 rushing yards and 1,580 total yards from scrimmage this season.
Love struck a Heisman pose after his 68-yard bolt for the end zone in the second half. It was a different celebration than a PG-13 version of his celebration last month that Freeman deemed a non “Wise Man” play, but at the end of the day, this one was deserved.
“You put me on the spot,” Freeman joked when asked if Love’s Heisman pose was Wise Man worthy. “I always say celebrate with your teammates. You can never go — you won’t end up on Wise Man — well, maybe you will – if you celebrate with your teammates. But, you know, he’s earned the right to do that. I don’t like the one, the other one you’re referring to, but he’s earned the right. He’s earned the right to do that. So, I’ll let that one go.”
Tae Johnson was a late week scratch from Saturday’s game. The redshirt freshman safety had led the defense with 573 snaps played this season prior to Saturday’s game. Freeman is optimistic that his injury will not keep him out long.
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“Tae Tae got hurt in practice punching the ball out, and we didn’t know he was going to be out,” Freeman explained.
“I think it’s maybe two games at max, one game at minimum,” Freeman continued. “We’ll see. I mean, he could possibly maybe be back for Stanford.”
With Johnson out, Jalen Stroman made the most of his Senior Day start. Stroman started the first three games of the season but had played in a reserve role over the last seven games due to Johnson’s emergence.
Saturday’s game wasn’t even a minute old when Stroman jumped a short Joe Filardi pass and returned it for a 44-yard touchdown. In addition to his first career interception, Stroman finished with a team high eight tackles, including two tackles for loss. He also blocked a punt on Syracuse’s second possession that Luke Talich returned for a score.
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“I’ve been telling him all season, just keep working,” Freeman said of Stroman. “He is a really, really good football player, which he showed tonight. We got a lot of good football players in our defense meeting room, our defensive team, in our defensive back room. He just worked. He didn’t complain. He just works. He just works. He just works. And I told him before the game that it’s crazy. Like the future is uncertain.
“I said, here you go, Stro,” Freeman continued. “This is why you work, because at some point here comes your opportunity, and I was so happy to see him that first pick six, like I was so happy for him because it reaffirmed some of those things that I try to make sure our guys know, especially him. Then he blocks the punt and, I mean, he tackled really, really well. So, it’s a great reminder, man, the depth we have in our defensive back position, and it’s a great example of a guy that works while he waits.”
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