After Notre Dame football created history last Saturday night, it had to quickly regroup and regain focus. The Irish took on Boston College on Saturday afternoon, beating the Eagles 45-31. Not only was it an Irish victory, but a moment of celebration for Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. This marked Kelly’s 100th win with the Irish. Considering his statistics, Kelly could be considered one of Notre Dame’s best head coaches along with Lou Holtz and Knute Rockne.
Ending with 557 yards, Notre Dame represented stability, as passing and rushing yards were almost balanced. After being held to a field goal on its first drive, Notre Dame football was quickly able to regain dominance and keep the lead for the remainder of the game. Three turnovers caused by Boston College threatened that lead, but Notre Dame recovered and capitalized after those mistakes. Throughout the game, the Irish never resulted in punting, which is a significant improvement for Notre Dame offense. As for career performances, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book and wide receiver Ben Skowronek excelled against Boston College, leading Notre Dame to 8-0 overall for the season.
Book’s performance
Book just keeps getting better and Saturday’s game was a great demonstration of it. After an epic performance against Clemson, it was hopeful that Book was entering his prime. Against Boston College, he went 20 of 28 passing for 283 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, Book totaled 85 yards, as well as one touchdown.
What made Book’s performance exceptional was the use of his feet and the ability to be patient. Extending the play allowed Book to find the best form of execution. Connecting with receivers such as Skowronek and Javon McKinley allowed the Irish offense to excel and shine over Boston College.
Skowronek’s Career Performance
Skowronek had three receiving touchdowns. Three must have been a lucky number for Skowronek, as he was at the end of the line for every passing touchdown. With five receptions for 63 yards, Skowronek had his best game yet with the Irish and ultimately helped Notre Dame gain a significant lead against the Eagles.
Irish running backs shine
While Kyren Williams has always been Notre Dame’s top running back, Chris Tyree was given playing time and did not leave the field without an impact. The true freshman ended with 74 rushing yards and 17 rushing attempts. Like Williams, Tyree is quick and changes the dynamic of the field. With switching up running backs, Notre Dame gave Boston College a run for its money, as the Eagles struggled to differentiate Williams and Tyree.
A lacking Irish defense
Although the Irish pride themselves for a strong defense, Irish defense was not all that on Saturday. Before the game, defensive lineman Jayson Ademilola was ruled out with a knee injury. Although Ademilola might not have the most impressive statistics on paper, he has been an important part of the Irish’s ability to rush the pass. His injury called for the defensive line to make the appropriate adjustments. It was apparent the Irish struggled with that, which could be why they gave up 31 points to Boston College.
Despite the defense having an off day, Irish offense carried the team and gave Notre Dame another win on the road. The Irish will enjoy a bye week before taking on North Carolina in two weeks. With only three games left in the regular season, Notre Dame is inching closer and closer to playing in the ACC Championship.
Photo by Michael Yu | The Observer
My name is Claire Frego and I am a senior at the University of Dayton. As an aspiring journalist, I love to share my passion of sports with everyone. This college football season, I will be focusing on Notre Dame. Whether you are an Irish fan or just want to keep up with football this season, I invite you to follow along on my journey as I continue to write and gain knowledge about this crazy world of sports!