No, ND won the toss and deferred to the second half. This looked like a beautiful decision with how ND ended the half with an 8min 79 yard drive and then a 37sec 62 yard drive to net two touchdowns. By getting the ball to start, ND looked to open the second half and keep the momentum going to start putting the game away with a three score lead. However, ND came out and proceeded to have an INT, 3 and out, fumble, 3 and out, punt, INT. Luckily, Robert Hughes was finally given his chance to play some power football and carried the ball and both teams with him for 6, 12, 13 and a 5yd TD run. Hughes has been one of my favorite players of the recent years. Too bad he did not see more time. I will always remember him scoring a 1yd TD up the middle at home in the game after his brother was shot in Chicago. Hughes also gets the distinction of scoring the first TD in the new Yankee stadium. And now Hughes gets the distinction of winning the game scoring TD against USC to end the 8 game winning streak.
Will ND score first? (something it has not done the past 4 games)
No, in fact the opposing team scored first for the third game in a row but again it was only a field goal. The defense did a tremendous job for being on the field pretty much the entire first and third quarters. All of USC's points came off of turnovers that occurred on our side of the field within the 40. For the defense to hold them to three FGs and the lone TD came on the 4th down when USC started at the 2yd line shows we dominated the field. It was only their great starting position that put them in a spot to score. In fact, in the past 15 quarters the defense has given up only one touchdown and that lone touchdown was a two yard goal line push.
How will Tommy Rees react in his first true road game?
He looked like a true freshman starting in a hostile environment. Rees was inconsistent showing both moments of confidence and flashes of inexperience. Rees made three ill-advised passes staring down his receivers and thrown about shoulder height which led to interceptions (ND 31 - FG, ND 21 - FG, ND 38 - FG). Rees also missed an unblocked end coming around his blind side and was hit resulting in a fumble (ND 2 - TD). Rees accounted for all four turnovers and the netted 16 points. Despite these miscues that kept USC in the game, Rees did string together several good drives. On the 8min drive Rees completed 6 passes in a row (4 to Floyd, Cierre Wood and Tyler Eifert) for a total of 52 yards. On the 37sec drive Rees completed
What role will Theo Riddick play in his return?
Not much. While was Riddick was on the field, he only caught one pass for 6 yards. Michael Floyd saw most of the action and Duval Kamara had a touchdown with Floyd. Duval's catch at the end of the first half was a great heads up play by a senior. After catching the ball and realizing he was pushed out of the end zone, he alertly stretched the ball back across the goal line for the score just before going out of bounds.
Is Matt Barkley going to play?
No, and the change was evident right away. USC was flagged for three false starts in the first quarter and would get a couple more as the game wore on. Mitch Mustain's last collegiate start came in 2006 and the offensive line was not used to Mustain's cadence and voice.
What will the run/pass breakdown look like?
Hughes ran the ball well behind an offensive line that finally pushed somebody around on the winning touchdown drive.
Will the Irish go 1-8 in their past 9 games against SC?
Yes.
Be sure to check out Mitch Mustain with a "Play Like A Champion Today" towel from the US Army High School game.
42-34-5. The Shillelagh's coming back finally.
Go Irish!
~IT07
No comments:
Post a Comment