No. 4 Notre Dame takes big lead, then holds off No. 1 Miami 31-24 in a classic
Marcus Freeman didn't deny the obvious. Even for a storied program like Notre Dame, beating Miami had enormous significance.
Game
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Marcus Freeman didn't deny the obvious. Even for a storied program like Notre Dame, beating Miami had enormous significance.
If that wasn't enough, it kept Notre Dame's national title hopes alive as well.
CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 4 Notre Dame avenged its most damaging loss from last season by running out to a 21-point lead and holding on to beat No. 1 Miami 31-24 on Saturday night.
Micah Gilbert caught two of Carr's scoring passes, Jordan Faison had the other and Nolan James Jr. had a rushing score for Notre Dame (8-1, No. 11 College Football Playoff), which came into the game knowing another loss to Miami could doom its CFP chances.
“It’s a special moment,” said Freeman, Notre Dame's coach. “Enjoy the moment, because tomorrow when you wake up it’s time to get ready for the next one. I know it’s a big one. This is big. This is special. I’m not going to sit here and say this was like the other ones. No, this is different.”
The Hurricanes (8-1, No. 1 CFP) started slowly on offense in their first game without injured wide receiver and Heisman Trophy hopeful Malachi Toney — and Notre Dame, which lost to Miami 27-24 last season in a game that ultimately kept the Irish out of the playoff, never trailed.
“Our backs were against the wall,” said Irish defensive back Luke Talich, who had an interception and a critical — and disputed — pass breakup to help seal the win.
Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes for Miami, twice getting the Hurricanes within a touchdown after they trailed 24-3 early in the third. Cooper Barkate had a pair of those scoring grabs, and Elija Lofton had the other.
“Proud of the guys, the way we fought back,” Mensah said. “Obviously, it wasn't enough.”
Lofton nearly had a touchdown catch that would have made it 31-30 — the score of the Miami-Notre Dame game in 1988 — with 3:36 left, appearing to make a fourth-down grab in the end zone and getting his feet down.
But Notre Dame's Luke Talich — who had an interception in the third quarter — knocked the ball away, with officials ruling that Lofton didn't complete the grab. Notre Dame took over on downs, ran the clock down to about a minute and held on from there.
Miami coach Mario Cristobal said he was “beyond upset” that Lofton's play wasn't ruled a score.