Notre Dame improves to 8-1 in 52-3 win over Florida State

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind — In the first and only night game at Notre Dame Stadium this season, the Irish take care of Florida State, scoring 50+ points for the second game in a row.

The 49-point win margin was a team effort from the defense, offense, and special teams.

"I truly believe in my heart, Saturday is a reflection of preparation, and they're preparing the right way. They have the right mentality, and they're really going out and playing well," Head Coach Marcus Freeman said.

Notre Dame started the game with quarterback Riley Leonard pushing the ball down field and eventually capping the drive with a 34-yard rushing touchdown, going airborne over Seminole defenders to give the Irish a 7-0 lead. Leonard finished with two rushing touchdowns, 70 rushing yards, 215 passing yards, and one passing touchdown.

"In a game like this against that type of team in a colder weather environment at home, it's very important. I mean, they got a lot of talent out there now, like you look across the ball. I mean, every single one of those guys are, you know, NFL prospects, so to speak. So we knew that, like, yeah, the record says one thing, but these guys are really talented football players," Quarterback Riley Leonard said.

The run game continued to be a threat as it has all season. Besides Leonard's production, running back Jadarian Price broke off 65 of his 95 rushing yards for a touchdown and Jeremiyah Love continues his streak of scoring a touchdown in his ninth straight game.

On the defensive side of the ball, Notre Dame threw everything as Florida State. Two interceptions. One from Jordan Clark to start the second half and Luke Talich for a pick-6 with less than two minutes to go in the game.

But it started in the trenches with the defensive line. After grad senior Howard Cross went down with what Freeman described as an ankle sprain, his partner in the middle, Rylie Mills, stepped up. The ensuing play after Cross left the game, Mills earned two of his three sacks on back-to-back plays.

"It starts up front with those two seniors, those guys that are veterans, they're playing really well. Rylie got some individual glory to that, right? He got the sacks, but there was a lot of people that contributed to Rylie being able to have those sacks and you talk about coverage, you talk about some other guys up front," Freeman added.

Rylie Mills set the tone, but he was joined by Donovan Hinish with two sacks. The two combined for five of the eight team sacks.

"When the front end and the back end on the same page, and you know, when you see the back seven that's covering like they did, it's, it's hard to, it's hard to get completions on us, you know. I think that's one of the great things about our defense, is like, we feed off each other. So, you know, the D-line is doing really good. You know, the corners, you know, they're coming up to us being like, you guys are killing it. Like, this is great, and then vice versa, like they're getting picks, and we're like, dude, this is great. Make them hold the ball like, I think it just works both ways," Mills said.