Notre Dame draws closer to playing in BCS title game after win over BC

admin November 11, 2012 0

By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Correspondent

Notre Dame got some of the help it needed Saturday night and then went out and took care of business, beating Boston College 21-6.

The Irish’s chances at playing in the BCS National Championship Game were greatly enhanced thanks to Texas A&M’s 29-24 upset at Alabama.

Notre Dame, who at 10-0 is off to its best start since 1993, will likely climb one spot to No. 3 in the BCS ratings when they’re released tonight and now hope for either Oregon and/or Kansas State to slip up in the coming weeks.

The Irish’s 15-point win certainly didn’t win any style points, but it was a game that you never really felt was in doubt.

The score likely would’ve been more lopsided had it not been for a couple lost fumbles by the fourth-ranked Irish, one of which came deep in BC territory.

With that said, freshman quarterback Everett Golson accounted for all the offense the Irish needed and then some. In fact, he accounted for the game’s only three touchdowns.

Golson threw a couple of TD passes – a 7-yarder to Troy Niklas in the second quarter to give the Irish a 14-3 lead and an 18-yarder to John Goodman early in the second half for a 21-3 cushion – and ran for another.

Everett played the way that he needs to play, especially in the red zone, Irish coach Brian Kelly said. We said that once he starts playing at the level that we need him in the red zone, we will start scoring touchdowns and not just field goals.

And that is what’s happening.

Over the last three weeks, Golson is about as hot as any quarterback you’ll find in the nation. In wins over Oklahoma, Pitt and Boston College, Golson has completed 52-of-91 passes (57.1 percent) for 604 with four touchdowns and just one interception. He has also run for three scores.

If you would’ve told Kelly at the beginning of the season that Golson would account for seven touchdowns in that three-game stretch, do you think he would’ve taken it? Absolutely.

When Golson wasn’t the story in Chestnut Hill, Mass., the Irish defense was, but what else is new, right?

Notre Dame, who has won all its games away from Notre Dame Stadium by double digits this season, held Boston College to without a touchdown. In limiting the Eagles to just six points, the Irish moved into a tie for the national lead in scoring defense with Alabama. Notre Dame and Bama have allowed their opponents to score a measly 11.1 points per game.

The Irish limited the Eagles to 300 yards, including just 53 yards on the ground.

BC quarterback Chase Rettig threw for 247 yards, but had to put it in the air 43 times (completing 27) to get to that total. Rettig was picked off once as linebacker Manti Te’o got his sixth interception of the season thanks to a nice diving grab in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles’ lone points on the evening came via the foot of Nate Freese, who connected from 45 and 36 yards out.

They threw everything imaginable at us, Kelly said. But we kept them out of the end zone.

Notre Dame found the end zone twice on three first-half possessions to lead 14-3 at halftime.

It was an opening half that saw the Irish gain 256 yards and convert all eight of their third-down attempts.

Notre Dame dominated time of possession in the second quarter, having it for 12:27 in the second quarter. It ended the game with a nearly five-minute advantage in time of possession for the game.

Once again Notre Dame’s offensive attack was very balanced. The Irish ran for 184 yards and threw for 209.

Running back Theo Riddick did a lot of the damage for the Irish on the ground. He gained a game-high 104 yards on 18 carries.

Tight end Tyler Eifert was the No. 1 weapon in the passing game. He finished with half a dozen catches for 67 yards.

The Irish will now focus on preparing for their home finale as they entertain 5-5 Wake Forest at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Notre Dame Nuggets
– This is the eighth time in school history that Notre Dame has opened the season with 10 straight victories.

The seven previous 10-0 starts led to five undefeated seasons, five national championships and five bowl berths (5-0 record).

– Irish nose tackle Louis Nix III was ejected, along with Boston College offensive lineman Bobby Vardaro, after they got into a fourth-quarter shoving match.

– Notre Dame receiver DaVaris Daniels left the game in the third quarter and didn’t return due to a left shoulder injury.

On Twitter, Daniels’ father said his son could be out for a month or so.

Daniels is third on the team with 375 yards receiving and fourth with 25 catches.

– Te’o’s six interceptions this season are a school record for a linebacker.

– Notre Dame has outscored its opponents 54-9 in the first quarter this season.

The Irish have shut out seven of their 10 opponents in the first quarter.

– After not having a running back lose a fumble until the ninth game of the season, the Irish backs have now lost three fumbles in their last 26 carries.