In his pregame comments on NBC, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said that he expected his team to bring the “violence” against No. 18 Army (9-1) in Saturday’s Shamrock Series. His Fighting Irish squad did just that. No. 6 Notre Dame (10-1) played with physicality from start to finish in dismantling the Black Knights 49-14 in a dominating victory at Yankee Stadium. With the 35-point win, Notre Dame moved into the FBS lead with a +301-point differential this season.
In handing Army its first loss of the season and bringing a halt to the service academy’s 13-game winning streak dating back to last season, Notre Dame has now won nine straight outings since losing to Northern Illinois in Week 2. The Irish find themselves squarely in the hunt for hosting a home game in this year’s newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. The Irish are now 40-8-4 all-time vs. Army and are 13-0 all-time in the Shamrock Series.
“I’m really proud of the performance,” Freeman said in his post-game press conference. “You never know how this game is going to go. We knew we prepared for a really good opponent. And the preparation this week was really good. We’re going to enjoy this victory, get back, watch it and evaluate it, and move forward. I’m just proud of the way they prepared and performed.”
Notre Dame Eyes Postseason After Dominating Win Over Army
A Complete Game for Notre Dame
The Irish played some of their best football of the season on Saturday, excelling in all three phases. Notre Dame scored seven touchdowns in the rout and never punted. The Irish scored two quick touchdowns and never looked back. Senior quarterback Riley Leonard was decisive and operated the proficient Irish offense with aplomb. He completed 10 of 13 passing attempts for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
Notre Dame’s elite defense turned in another stellar performance even without star defensive lineman Howard Cross III. Cross missed the game with a sprained ankle. Al Golden’s disciplined unit shut down Army’s potent rushing attack. Army entered the game as the No. 1 rushing offense (334.9 yards per game) in the country, but the team from West Point had not faced a defense the caliber of Notre Dame’s all season. Notre Dame held Army to just 233 yards of total offense for the game, 207 of which came on the ground (3.6 yards per carry). Army had just two passing yards in the first half and 26 total in the contest, the least amount a Notre Dame opponent has accumulated since Navy had just 22 passing yards in 2015.
Safety Adon Shuler and linebacker Jaiden Ausberry were all over the field for the Irish. Both piled up career highs in tackles. Shuler recorded eight tackles while Ausberry made seven stops. Special teams got in on the action as well. Freshman defensive lineman Bryce Young blocked a punt (his third block of the season) that led to a Notre Dame touchdown.
Love Cleared for Takeoff
In a Shamrock Series game that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the “Four Horsemen,” Notre Dame’s offense revolved around one workhorse that has stood tall season. Running back Jeremiyah Love paced the offensive effort. He rushed for 130 yards, posting his fourth 100-yeard rushing game of the season and his career. It also marked the first time that Love has rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games. Audric Estime turned the feat last season against Wake Forest and Stanford.
Love scored three touchdowns in the game, including an explosive 68-yard jaunt. On a short 6-yard scoring pass from Leonard, Love hurdled an Army defender at the goal line for a spectacular touchdown. With his outstanding performance, Love tied Notre Dame’s all-time touchdown streak record of 11 games (tying Wayne Bullock 1973-74).
Freshman running back Aneyas Williams found the end zone on a 58-yard scoring run. Williams rushed for a career-high 62 yards. And Jadarian Price notched a career-high in touchdowns, scoring twice for the Irish.
Daily Double For Army QB
Army quarterback Bryson Daily accounted for Army’s two touchdowns in the game, both coming on short runs. Despite taking a beating from the Irish all day long, Daily’s two touchdowns were all that the Black Knights could muster. All told, Daily carried the ball 39 times for 139 yards (3.6 average). His longest run was 19 yards. He was just 4-of-8 passing for 26 yards and he was sacked once. Noah Short was Army’s leading receiver, catching three passes for a mere 11 yards.
“What a great football we played tonight,” said Army’s head coach Jeff Monken (117-72 in 15 seasons) in his post-game presser. “They are really athletic and extremely well coached. In every phase, they outclassed us. They blocked us and kept us blocked. We couldn’t sustain blocks in the interior or on the perimeter. They made a bunch of plays.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Monken continued. “They continued to fight the entire game. Our guys never stopped fighting, and we pride ourselves on that. Fortunately, that has been able to get us to the victory circle more often than not lately. But tonight, we faced a great team. Congratulations to Coach Freeman and their team. We certainly wish them success as they go forward.”
Takeaways
Notre Dame’s dominant performance against Army in the Shamrock Series further solidified the Irish’s position as one of the top teams in the country. On Saturday, the Fighting Irish significantly improved all facets of the game, including special teams. In the first ranked matchup between the two programs since 1958—the last time Army defeated Notre Dame—the Irish controlled the trenches on both sides of the ball. Army boasted the No. 1-ranked scoring defense, allowing just 10.3 points per game before facing Notre Dame. Army did not have an answer for Notre Dame’s plethora of playmakers.
Despite the blip in Week 2, Notre Dame continues to impress. Notre Dame’s offense is improving by the week. Combined with one of the nation’s top defenses, the Irish are poised to make noise in the postseason. Ranked No. 6 in the playoff rankings, the Irish look the part of a national title contender with one final must-win game on the docket in Southern California against the Trojans, their longtime rival, next Saturday. Notre Dame has a golden opportunity to clinch a home game in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff with a win over USC.
If the Irish continue to play at the high level they have demonstrated of late, the Notre Dame faithful can start preparing for a postseason run.
