Notre Dame built a 24-3 lead and held off a furious second half rally by Miami to defeat the Canes by 31-24. Injuries before and during the game were a major factor in the outcome. Fortunately, the Irish overcame theirs and kept Miami from tying the score in the waning minutes.

CJ Carr came through with a virtuoso performance to lead the victors. His precise passing accounted for three touchdowns, two in the first half and one early in the third quarter. Jordan Faison made an acrobatic catch on a deep sideline route and Micah Gilbert snagged a pair of slants.

The game was going according to plan until bad fortune struck Notre Dame. Cornerback Leonard Moore went down with an eye injury while going for a loose ball. Coach Marcus Freeman dipped into his bench for a replacement but this opened the door for Miami. Quarterback Darian Mensah went to work and suddenly found open targets.

Before the period had ended, the Canes were within seven points at 24-17. The crowd grew restless as the Irish offense faltered during that stretch. Safety Luke Talich stopped the bleeding and turned the tide back to Notre Dame. He intercepted Mensah near midfield for the game’s only turnover.

Carr returned to form as the game entered the final quarter. His clutch pass to Nolan James on a fourth down play accounted for 27 yards. James scored a few plays later for a 31-17 margin.

Thirteen minutes remained and the Hurricanes did not quit. Moore returned to the field for the Irish but fellow cornerback Jaylen Sanders was injured on the next series. Mensah took advantage and found Cooper Barkate for a score with ten minutes left.

Carr responded by moving his team into Hurricane territory. Miami dug in and forced a long field goal attempt by Spencer Porath. The kick never had a chance as Porath hooked it badly. Maybe the Leprechaun or Irish student Michael Milano should have kicked it. Miami took over with 5:49 on the clock.

Irish fans groaned as Mensah subsequently hit Elija Lofton for 41 yards. Fortunately, Notre Dame’s defense had another stop in them. Sanders returned to shore up the secondary and the Irish pass rush applied pressure.

Facing a fourth down at the 18 yard-line, Mensah lofted a pass into the end zone. Lofton could not come down with the ball near the pylon as Talich knocked it away. Notre Dame took over with 3:36 left.

James and the Irish were able to grind out a first down and force the Canes to use their timeouts. When Jasper Scaife punted for the hosts, he backed up Miami to its own 13.

Mensah had 57 seconds to work with and needed a miracle. Instead, Notre Dame’s pressure kept him in his own territory as the clock expired. Thousands of jubilant fans stormed the field and celebrated with the team. It was the most significant regular season win for the program in many years.

Let us review the answers to our pregame questions:

First of all, both Mike Denbrock and Chris Ash had both good and bad moments. Denbrock’s play calls were inspired at times and Carr delivered. The fourth down pass to James effectively won the game. He did, however, have a few series that were simply awful. They usually occurred at inopportune moments in the game. As for Ash, his more aggressive approach befuddled Miami in the early going. Notre Dame weathered the injury-fueled second half storm as the defense made enough plays to win.

•             Will the depleted Irish defensive line stop Miami’s running game? Yes, the did a good job against the run and also bringing pressure on Mensah. Boubacar Traore and Tionne Gray were two players I noticed.

•             Can Carr exhibit poise and accuracy or will the moment be too big for him? Carr was magnificent. He met or exceeded all of our expectations. Any monkey that had taken residence on his back has moved away.

•             Which team will exert the most pressure on the quarterback? Notre Dame did a better job as Carr was not sacked. Mensah felt the heat most of the night and was sacked twice.

•             Will Notre Dame’s secondary play more aggressive coverage? They did while Moore and Sanders were on the field and it worked well. Miami was able to take advantage of softer coverage when the starting Irish corners suffered injuries.

•             Can the Irish create running lanes against Miami’s talented defensive line? There was not much room available with few exceptions. Center Ashton Craig had a rough night.

•             Will the Irish special teams win the battle of field position? Jordan Faison’s long punt return was a huge play. Unfortunately, a poor punt and a missed field goal by the Irish benefitted the Hurricanes.

•             Which team will have the fewest penalties and turnovers? Notre Dame had more penalties although a few of them were questionable calls. Miami’s lone turnover was a key element in the Irish victory.

•             Can Mensah find other playmakers without Toney in the lineup? Mensah found Barkate repeatedly when Mark Zachary attempted to cover him. That was not the case when Moore and Sanders were on the field.

We cannot know what Malachi Toney’s absence meant to the Hurricanes but Notre Dame’s injuries seemed far more significant. Even with a depleted defense, Notre Dame held up well against Mensah and Miami. They appeared to be going nowhere until Moore went to the sideline. The Irish were forced to alter their scheme and it proved costly. Miami’s two quick scores against Zachary and a third touchdown occurred when the Irish were short handed. Until then, this game belonged to Notre Dame and did not have to be that close.

Irish players and fans worldwide can savor this victory for a few moments until Boston College comes to town. It has been 33 years since Notre Dame took down top ranked Florida State by the same 31-24 score. We all remember what happened one week later. I am certain that Coach Freeman will use this history lesson to keep his team focused. The playoff question is now decided as long as this team finishes the regular season in style.