Backup quarterback DeShone Kizer connected with Will Fuller on a 39-yard scoring strike with just 12 seconds remaining to lift Notre Dame to a hard fought 34-27 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers. The Irish fell behind by 27-26 with just under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter when Albert Reid scored from one yard out to cap an 80-yard drive. Kizer, who took the helm when Zaire suffered a fractured ankle in the third period, rallied the visitors for a long, improbable scoring march in eight plays during the final sequence to shock the upset-minded hosts.
Notre Dame started the game in strong fashion and rode a powerful ground game to build a 12-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The opening drive bogged down in the red zone, but a perfectly executed fake field goal by Kizer enabled tight end Durham Smythe to scamper in for a touchdown at the 9:29 mark. Justin Yoon added two field goals while the Irish defense stuffed the Cavalier attack in the early going.
Virginia recorded its initial first down on the last play of the period, and proceeded to dominate the second quarter as Matt Johns began to connect with his receivers. A short scoring pass to Evan Butts and a 42-yard bomb to Keeon Johnson on a flea-flicker turned the game around and staked the Cavs to a 14-12 halftime lead as Notre Dame’s attack suddenly sputtered.
The Irish reasserted themselves in the third period with two touchdown drives. Fuller caught a 59-yard bomb from Zaire to give his team a 19-14 lead, and C.J. Sanders’s 30-yard punt return set up another score. Unfortunately, Zaire was hurt during the latter sequence and it was immediately obvious that the injury was serious. Kizer came in and handed off to C.J. Prosise, who burst around right end for a 24-yard score and a 26-14 lead in the final minute of the quarter. Prosise finished with 155 yards on 16 carries.
Johns immediately brought his charges back against a Notre Dame defense that was still in shock after Zaire went down. He capped a 75-yard, six play march with a four-yard scoring run to close the gap to 26-21. The Cavs were driving again moments later, but a successful blitz by KeiVarae Russell generated the first turnover of the season for Notre Dame as Johns coughed up the football following a blindside hit. Kizer could not move the Irish on the ensuing possession despite good field position, and Virginia had another chance with 7:55 remaining.
This time, Johns methodically passed the Cavs down the field until the drive appeared to be out of gas at the Notre Dame 35. On third down and 15, Johns hit unheralded Ryan Santoro for 34 yards to the Irish one yard line, and Reid punched it over from there. A two point try fell incomplete, but Virginia had taken the lead by 27-26.
Kizer still looked a bit shaky when he started the final drive and nearly threw a pick-six, but settled down after converting a first down with a four yard rush on a fourth and two play. He then hit three straight passes to reach the Cavalier 39, but time became his enemy. With under 30 seconds left and his team out of field goal range for Yoon, Kizer calmly dropped back to midfield and lofted a perfect strike to Fuller near the left pylon to pull out the victory. A two point pass to Torii Hunter accounted for the final 34-27 margin.
The game was much closer than anyone predicted, but the game-changing injury to Zaire and the valiant effort exhibited by Johns and Virginia simply underscored why college football games rarely follow a prescribed formula.
Let’s review the pregame questions for additional perspective.
Will Zaire demonstrate the poise to counter the pressure brought by Tenuta’s defense? Zaire was not sharp most of the day, as Tenuta tried to force him out of the pocket and to the right. He was only 7 of 18 for 115 yards, 59 of those coming on the third quarter bomb to Fuller.
Can Virginia’s offensive line handle Sheldon Day and his posse? The Cavs struggled at times, but actually held their own in clutch second half situations.
Will Prosise and Adams continue to run the ball effectively? Prosise was a workhorse for the Irish, but he inexplicably did not get enough touches in the second half.
Which team will achieve more plays of 20 yards or more? Surprisingly, it was about even with four big chunk plays on each side.
Will Notre Dame be able to contain Smoke Mizzell? Smoke recorded a pedestrian 66 yards on 18 carries, including one key burst for 25 yards in the fourth period. He managed only ten receiving yards as Jaylon Smith blanketed him most of the day.
After failing to force a turnover last week, which defense will break through in this game? The Irish defense finally broke through in the fourth quarter, and did not commit a turnover themselves for the second straight contest.
Can either team’s punt or kickoff return men generate a positive play? Sanders’s excellent return set up a Notre Dame touchdown and Tyler Newsome’s punting was a weapon for the Irish.
The 2-0 Irish now return home to regroup after once again losing an irreplaceable piece of their offense. Kizer must get ready to lead the team for the rest of the season and plans to preserve an extra year of eligibility for freshman Brandon Wimbush may have to be scrapped.
Dirty says:
“May” have to be scrapped? The redshirt is off my friend.
Brian says:
The offense has lost a big weapon on Malik and it will be a long road back for him. Deshon did well and was definetly better prepared the past 2nd string QB’s. This team still has many weapons on offense especially with a guy like Fuller who is going to draw even more coverage, the guy is unreal! Deshon just needs to get the ball out to the play makers and not focus in on one guy. Now the defense is a different story, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get Max Redfield off the field! He is nothing but a head hunting cheap shot artist and has no business playing football, go join the hockey team Max if all you want to do is hit someone blind sided! The rest of the secondary is just terrible, they could not cover anything yesterday, just ridiculous! Cole was the only only one resembling a DB out there as Russell and Shumate, who are supposed to be “ALL WORLD” just have no clue. The front 7 is strong as the stats show but when a QB just heaves up 35 yard strikes to wide open receivers on 3rd downs it takes the wind right out of the front 7. You better get these guys in shape BVG or we may be looking for another DC next year!
Aaron says:
1. Kelly better be putting sleep on the shelf for the months to come to make sure Kizer doesn’t have to carry the load. There are plenty players on the offensive side of the ball to take the pressure off him!
2. Kelly better kick the O line butts and they need to start playing the way they should!!! Last week against Texas there were mental lapses and yesterday they were clearly better than UVAs. At times they were not playing up to their potential!!!!! IN ORDER FOR ND TO BE EVEN MORE SUCCESFUL NOW DEPENDS ON THEM BY PLAYING CONSISTENTLY ON RUN BLOCKING AND PASS PROTECTION. BECAUSE YOU KNOW NOW EVERY TEAM IS GOING TO BLITZ TO PUT THE PRESSURE ON KIZER ON EVERY PLAY!!!!
3. This goes to all players on the ND team you need play the the WHOLE GAME!!!! There is NO WAY UVA is even close to us!!!! Where are the captains, inspiring and not letting them relax (which the team did). But again, good teams find a way to win…….which we did.
4. With the unfortunate injuries in the first to weeks, well “whose next, my turn, I’m up” mentality has to be applied to those other players on the side lines! Who knows maybe the next Joe Montana, Jerome “the Bus” Bettis, or Autry Denson will emerge!!!
5. Next week is HUGE for us against G.T. We need to play like we did against Texas NOT like against UVA!!!!
GO IRISH!!!!
Opie says:
How does a team average 7.4 yards per carry, yet go ZERO for 10 on 3rd down?
flirish says:
Very happy for the great art second win. It has been years since we have seen something like that. But with that said, ND showed what a Kelly coached team is all about:
A defense that can’t make a stand when it counts with mostly experienced players and some high draft prospects
The QB was floating up soft passes all afternoon and we never got close to what should have been a few interceptions. I can’t understand how bad our pass defense is with both coverage and the rush. It takes blitzing 6 or 7 to get even mild pressure on the QB
An offense that abandoned CJ and running in the second half despite complete inability to be stopped in the first half. Horrific third down play calling and execution against truly inferior talent–a signature Kelly trait over the past five years.
Horrific play calling including going for two points early in the game for no reason after the first TD
Inability to run a kick off past the 20 yard line.
Unfortunately this is all part of the Kelly trademark. Each year we say we will be better. These are his guys in his scheme and it doesn’t look good and it hasn’t looked good with the exception of 2012 (of course excluding the bowl game when again we weren’t prepared).
On a bright note for the first time in a long time we demonstrated that it is not a sin to return a punt and block on a punt return at ND.
I can’t wait to see who the coach will blame for all the error and inadequacies that are his.
Terry says:
“Backup quarterback DeShone Kizer connected with Will Fuller with just 12 seconds remaining.”
His first game, everything on the line.
That’s guts ball.
John U says:
Defensive Backs were AWOL. Play like this against Georgia Tech and the game is over by halftime.
Terrence says:
GT runs option.
Chuckie says:
Van Gorder, where did your pupils go? The entire Virginia team looked like Heisman candidates. Same thing last year! And the highlighted preseason phenomenal defenders, where are they vacationing?
marleyman says:
VanGorder got a pass last year due to all the injuries. This year he is on the hook for defensive performance or lack of. He looked lost on Saturday. There is no excuse with this level of talent!
GOND88 says:
Unless Kizer can channel his inner Cardale Jones the loss of Zaire could impact our season in a bad way. It was shades 2014 with woeful red zone offense and a defense on roller skates through stretches of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. The DB’s looked totally lost. Throw out the fake field goal and all touchdowns came outside of the red zone. I thought Kelly said this was his most talented, deepest and experienced team since taking the reigns? The sure didn’t play like it yesterday.
We are now a few more key injuries away from a 7-5 record and another lost season. Wait until next year, I guess, but this is getting old.
Zach says:
It’s not Van Gorder, it is Brian Kelly. You want to know why Virginia’s QB looked so good, it ND’s bend-but-don’t-break defensive strategy. The defense looks exactly the same as they did in the Michigan game in 2011, no one should be shocked by this. Watson and Kessler will kill this defense. Any QB looking at a 3 man rush automatically relaxes in the pocket. Instead of worrying about the pass rush the QB just goes through his check downs easily.
Dirty says:
Then why have many 3-4 defenses been so successful?
Terry says:
That was about as impressive as it gets – the kid was ready when his name was called. He stepped up and led HIS team down the field, and when he had to he threw a heart-breaker/heart-stopper pass.
It says here that Zaire and Wimbush will be battling for the back-up spot next season.
irishhawk50 says:
There is not much I can add to the previous blogs. Everyone seemed to see the game the same way. I just can’t get over had bad Van Gorder’s defense looked. The offense didn’t look much better. Hind sight is 20/20, but I was always nervous about running Zaire too much. Hopefully, with a strong front D line ND will be better able to stop triple option GT, but I am not very confident about next week.
irishhawk50 says:
Sorry “how bad”
Tom D. says:
Sadly, this inability to defend the pass has been going on at ND for 20 years. What is the problem? These were supposed to be highly recruited, athletic playmakers in the secondary. They look, instead, like slow footed, disinterested observers whose goal seems to be to make tackles after the catch rather than prevent completions. I wish reporters, instead of lobbing softball questions at the coach(es), would instead ask pointedly “Why can’t anyone on this team cover even the most pedestrian receivers?” The pitiful pass defense, coupled with Zaire’s injury, took the joy out of this one.
Zach says:
Yeah Tom their goal is to tackle after the catch. People get mad a Redfield but he is not coached to make plays on the ball, he is coached to keep everything in front of him.
Jim says:
It’s sad to me that someone would watch a 3.5 hour football game, read articles about it and take time to post about it and say that they can’t find joy in it. How miserable does your life have to be that you spend over 4 hours of your life seeking out things that make you unhappy? If you can’t find enjoyment in the games, I suggest you find something else to spend your spare time on. No, I don’t enjoy seeing players get hurt, of course, but I love watching the games, win or lose. Go Irish!
make more noise yet says:
Nice article, Monsieur Vannie. Right on the money.
Prior to the last drive, I gotta admit I was exhausting my vocabulary of French swear words…
But today’s Lou Somogyi column on whether it is destined to finish as a Pyrrhic victory is worth a look,
to remind us what being Fighting Irish really means. ]Based on some of the storied moments in the
history of our program, he reminds us that a script is still there for a special season, one that we
might be able to look back on and remember in years to come: “…like when they lost the nose guard, the
running back, the quarterback and still…”
Let’s hope so, anyway, and stay positive and focused and make more noise this Saturday to help
our guys find a way to stop those lethal Rambling Wrecks!
Sean says:
I am not at all impressed with BVG, or our O-line. I hope reporters who cover this team grill Kelly about these issues. All that talent on defense, and we get carved up. An O-line that cannot get a yard when we need it. Do not remember last time I felt so disgusted about a win,
Dirty says:
BVG is a bust, but I think the O-Line play has been pretty good.
Fitz says:
Wow! What a win. What a loss. It’s Sunday and I still can’t hardly digest what I saw. But I’ll tell ya one thing. I’m proud of Kizer and these kids that they stuck in there and delivered a classic last moment Notre Dame victory! Kelly wasn’t bluffing when he talked about the amount of talent and depth on this team. There is a system in place now that guarantees we won’t see another season like 2007 again. Not sure what the future holds now for this season. I guess it’s already back to the drawing board in a way. But watching that game winning bomb to the immaculate Fuller I’ve never been any more proud to be an Irish fan! Go Irish this season! Behind you all the way.
Ellen says:
I agree with all-Kelly has to go. His play calling absurd. Can’t people in charge see that? We as fans could call a better game. Zaire never should have run the ball. Give it it CJ. He was in a rhythm. Get a DB coach. No reason those guys can’t defend. And I agree, get rid of Redfield if he continues to play dirty. Go Irish,
John says:
Really? Zaire should have never run the ball? After picking up 40 yards on a draw, and considering that a QB draw picked up our only 4th (or 3rd) down conversion?
It was just bad luck. It sucks. Zaire’s broken ankle is not kelly’s fault. Many, many things are, but this is not one of them.
Dirty says:
Exactly, John. Cool it, Ellen, they run Zaire because that is why they recruited Zaire . . . to have a QB who can run.
It is called “football.”
ND Bonecrusher says:
Obviously more happy with a W than a L. But holy mackerel-what a costly W. Suddenly we do not look like the world-beaters of last weekend.
Agree with Kelly and with above (not mutually exclusive). On O, no need for the new kid to do it all himself. We are loaded on O and he should take advantage of that. Kizer did acquit himself very well with the game on the line. “Guts Ball” as Terry said above. That is a reason for hope.
D is more troubling, esp with Yellow Jackets coming to town. I truly hope that BVG and Co. were unprepared for Cavs because they devoted some extra time to Ga Tech last week.
All eyes on the D next weekend. Buckle up and stock up on Maalox!
ND Bonecrusher says:
BTW-a buddy of mine just pointed out that once there was a backup named Roethlisberger who was called upon because of injury to the starter. Who knows what Kizer will do? It might be awesome. He has a strong supporting cast, who by all accounts have already rallied to his side. Another good sign.
Dirty says:
And how did Roethlisberger’s team do?
Yeah. This is not a positive.
Terrence says:
I had a feeling Zaire would get hurt and Kizer would end up playing. He’s got all the tools, but he doesn’t have the reps, and he overthrows the ball to make up for his lack of experience. He played the spread in HS, so it shouldn’t take too long for him to catch up, but GT will be a big challenge and the Massachusetts game will be nice practice for Clemson, which will be the toughest game of the season. This is wishful thinking of course, that ND can run the table because they proved yesterday that they are not as dominant as we thought after the UT game. Oh well, it looks like we might have another 2012 or another disappointing injury-plagued 2014, but offensive players are more replaceable than defensive, so hopefully the defense will stay healthy and make up for any lack of offense, but they didn’t look too dominant against UVA. You never know, we’ll just have to wait and see, but I don’t think we have a top 5 team here that can win it all. Much like his predecessors’ teams after the Holtz era, BKs players seem to lack the passion and sense of urgency to enhance their competitive edge to rise to the occasion.
jabe7 says:
The players lack the passion you speak of because Kelly does not inspire it. As someone above pointed out he does not challenge his players in an emotional way to go through walls for him. The only emotion he shows is negative, that is, when he’s angry on the sidelines. If you listened to Virginia’s coach prior to game time, shown prior to the game, you’d understand why his players were all fired up.
Not that passion alone wins it, but when it goes with talent you have a championship combination. Kelly’s teams over the years, seems to me, have played without that kind of passion.
Al Horney says:
Must commend Kizer, a young guy put in a very tough spot, manages to get it done….not that we deserved to win. I’m with Sean, can’t remember how disappointing it is to hear all this “most talented team” stuff and then see totally inept play on offense and defense. Can’t get a yard on 3-4 down and getting totally carved up by a mediocre QB from Va. Somebody needs to go to work. Could be ugly next week.
bocceman2 says:
2014 Redux. Irish started off with a bang against Michigan in 2014 and looked silly next week vs Purdue. They start 2015 strong vs Texas and look silly vs Virginia. Granted Zaire got hurt, VA should have not been anywhere close to taking the lead. Van Gorder’s D gives up way too many big plays and bite on every fake play thrown at them. Why is a linebacker covering the fastest man on VA’s team? It’s called poor scheme by Van Gorder.
Note to BK, You haven’t been able to convert 3rd or 4th down short yardage off tackle in six years. QUIT TRYING!!
I feel sorry for thees kids busting their guts while being poorly coached.
Steve says:
Despite Zaire’s loss, what I saw was a ranked team struggling with an unranked, unheralded UVA team. I am still neutral about Kizer. He certainly did well in the clutch, but he will be playing from the opening kick-off against a far more talented GT team this coming Saturday. He will also have a week to think about that he is the starting QB this week. That’s big time pressure for a freshman. I think this weekend will be ND’s first real battle test. The first few weeks of College football are such a downer with most teams going out of their way to find an easy ‘warm-up’ team. Problem is that some of the ‘warm-ups’ prove to be decently competitive! Such was the case with UVA!
Dirty says:
Virginia wasn’t a warm up game, it is mandated by the deal with the ACC . . . and they scheduled Texas in week one.
2015 says:
I hope Kelly gets Wimbush some action too. Never know. Really need running game to take the pressure off. Hoping not too much or a sophomore. MZ may have been about to hit a rough patch, teams were starting to make sure he didn’t move left. Defense is an enigma. Was it just me, but I knew they would get burnt on that trick play and there would be no DB in the picture. Secondary = toast.
Hoss says:
Everyone on TV keeps talking about how the offensive line is spectactular, and I keep watching wondering when I’m going start being impressed. The secondary not exactly knocking me out either.
And could someone please explain why we always run out of the shotgun on a 3rd/4th when we need a half of a yard (or inches). My biggest WTF moment because we do it every time.
Dirty says:
Did you watch the first two games of the season? You should be impressed by that O-Line.
ElkhartIrish says:
My concern for GT and then later Navy is that we always seem to come out of these TO games with the defense all banged up because of the cut blocking. Why isn’t cut blocking outlawed?
NDBonecrusher says:
Pittsburgh with Rorthlisberger-coupla Super Bowls. One with some guy named Bettis. That brings it to 6. Not a positive indeed. Thanks for bringin’ the room down, Debbie Downer(s).