#5/5/6 Irish Hit the Road for Regular Season Finale

Notre Dame Notes (PDF)

CREATING HAVOC

• Under new defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, the Irish defense has been one of the nation’s best at creating havoc plays this season, as Notre Dame has totaled 38 sacks this season, which ranks fourth in the NCAA.
• The 38 sacks are the most in the Brian Kelly era and the most in a single season since 2003 (39). They are three sacks shy of tying the program record for a single season (41).
• 15 different players have recorded a sack this season after Isaiah Pryor and Alexander Ehrensberger got their first two sacks of the season against Georgia Tech.
• The Irish defense has also been adept at taking the ball away with 21 takeaways, a number that ranks 13th in the NCAA.
• Of those 21 takeaways, the Irish have tallied 15 interceptions from nine different players after Ramon Henderson tallied his first career interception against Virginia.
• The 15 interceptions are tied for fifth in the NCAA. It is the most interceptions since 2014 when the Irish had 16 that season.
• The nine players with an interception is the most since 2014 when they also had nine different players with interceptions.
• Notre Dame has been stingy in allowing points this season. They rank 12th in scoring defense by limiting opponents to 18.6 points per game this season.
• The Irish have not allowed a touchdown in the last three games. It is the first time since 2012 that they have not allowed a touchdown in three-straight games.
• The Irish defense has outscored the opposing teams 12-9 over the past three games.
• The defense has also been able to find the endzone this season with four defensive scores. The four touchdowns are tied for sixth nationally.
• Kyle Hamilton and DJ Brown both lead the team with three interceptions each and are tied for 20th nationally.
• Hamilton and Cam Hart both had two interceptions in a game this season, the first time since 2018 that the Irish have had two players with two interceptions in a game in the same season (Jalen Elliott and Alohi Gilman).
• The depth of the defense has been on full display as 19 different players have recorded a tackle-for-loss this season.

IRISH ZAP YELLOW JACKETS

• Notre Dame posted its most complete win of the season in the 55-0 shutout win over Georgia Tech to close the home slate.
• It was the fifth-largest shutout in program history and the largest since a 62-0 win over Rutgers in 1996.
• The win gave the Irish their 53rd win over the past five seasons, which tied the program record for most wins over a five-year span (53 – 1988-92).
• The Irish improved to 31-2 at home over the past three seasons, the third most wins at home nationally over that span (Clemson 33, Alabama 32).
• The win gave the Irish their 41st-straight win over an unranked opponent, the longest-active streak in the FBS.
• It was also the 24th-consecutive win over an ACC opponent during the regular season. 18 of those wins have been by 10 points or more.
• The win gave the Irish 10 for the fifth-straight season. It is the first time in program history that they have won 10 or more games in five-consecutive seasons.
• The Irish scored 45 points in the first half, the second most in the modern era and the most since 2017 against Miami (OH) (45).
• Notre Dame has won 26-straight games when scoring 40 points or more and 35-consecutive games when allowing less than 20 points.
• The Irish had two defensive touchdowns in the win for the second time this season (Wisconsin – 2). They are the only team in the FBS to have two games with multiple defensive touchdowns against Power-5 opponents.
• Linebacker Jack Kiser scored his second touchdown of the season after the 43-yard interception return. He is the first Irish defensive player since Julian Love in 2017 to score two touchdowns in a single season.
• It was the second-straight game the Irish have held opponents scoreless in the first half, the first time since 2015 against Wake Forest and Boston College.
• Defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa recorded his first career touchdown on a 70-yard fumble return and blocked a field goal. It was the first fumble return for a touchdown since 2020 (Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah vs. Clemson) and first blocked field goal since 2019 (Julian Okwara vs. Bowling Green).
• Linebacker Bo Bauer had a team-high nine tackles in the win, the second-straight week he has recorded nine tackles.
• Defensive lineman Howard Cross III set career-highs with 2.0 sacks and 2.0 tackles-for-loss.

BE LIKE MIKE

• Tight end Michael Mayer is one of the best tight ends in the country, as he ranks in the top-four among tight ends in receptions and receiving yards per game. He ranks fourth in receptions with 55 and fourth in receiving yards per game with 66.3.
• For the season, 34 of his 55 receptions have resulted in a first down for the Irish.
• Mayer hauled in his fifth touchdown of the season on a career-long 52-yard pass against Georgia Tech. He moved into a tie for second all-time for most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single season.
• He also moved into second all-time for receptions by a tight end in a single season, third for most career receiving yards by a tight end (1,113) and fourth for most receiving yards in a single season by a tight end (663).
• Mayer led the Irish with team-highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (84) while adding one score in the road win over Virginia.
• It was the fifth game this season he has brought in seven or more receptions and also the fifth game he has led the team in receptions.
• Mayer joined Ken MacAfee and Tyler Eifert as the only Notre Dame tight ends with 50 or more catches in a single season.
• He notched five receptions for 54 yards in the home win over Southern Cal. He has totaled at least five receptions in six of his 10 games this season.
• Mayer led the Irish against Cincinnati with eight receptions and 93 yards on the afternoon.
• Mayer had seven catches for 61 yards in the win over Wisconsin at Soldier Field.
• In the win over Toledo, Mayer finished the game with team-high marks in receptions (7), receiving yards (81) and receiving touchdowns (2).
• It was the first time in Mayer’s career that he has had a multi-touchdown game.
• Dating back to last season, Mayer collected seven or more receptions in three-straight games (Alabama, Florida State and Toledo). The last Irish receiver to have three-consecutive games with seven or more receptions was Michael Floyd in 2011 (Maryland – 8;  Boston College – 10 and Stanford – 8).
• In just his second collegiate season, Mayer is already climbing the ranks in the Notre Dame Record Book:

CAN’T STOP KYREN

• Running back Kyren Williams continued to move up the Notre Dame record books in the 55-0 home win over Virginia. He led the team with 120 all-purpose yards (58 rushing, 33 return and 31 receiving), four receptions and two rushing touchdowns.
• He moved into third all-time for most career receptions by a running back (76). He also moved into fourth for most receptions by a running back in a single season (40):

• Williams has had at least one rushing touchdown in each of the last seven games after the first quarter score against Georgia Tech.
• In the win over North Carolina, he finished the game with career-highs in rushing yards (199) and all-purpose yards (261).
• Williams also tallied a career-long 91-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Tar Heels. It tied for the fifth longest rush in Notre Dame history and was the longest rush by an Irish player since Chris Tyree went 94-yards to the house against Syracuse in 2020.
• It marked the most rushing yards by an Irish player since Dexter Williams had 202 against Florida State in 2018.
• Williams’ 261 all-purpose yards against North Carolina were the third most by any player in FBS during week nine.
• It marked the most all-purpose yards by an Irish player since Golden Tate totaled 275 (244 receiving, 31 rushing) against Washington in 2009.
• Williams had a career-long 47 yard punt return in the first quarter against the Tar Heels.
• Williams rushed for over 100 yards in consecutive games against the Trojans and Tar Heels for the first time this season and the third time in his career.
• In the win over Southern Cal, Williams had his first 100-yard game of the season, as he finished with 138 yards rushing on the night.
• Williams finished the game against the Trojans with two rushing touchdowns for the first time in 2021 and the sixth time in his career.
• He tallied 180 all-purpose yards (138 rushing, 42 receiving) in the win over Southern Cal, the second highest total this season and fourth highest of his career.
• The 180 all-purpose yards were the 10th most in the FBS during week eight and he was just one of three players in the top-10 that week who faced a power 5 opponent.
• Williams leads the team with 1,327 all-purpose yards, 872 rushing yards, 13 total touchdowns and is second on the team in receptions with 36.
• He ranks 20th in the country with 131.55 all-purpose yards per game. He is tied for 15th in the nation in total touchdowns with 15 and 23rd in the NCAA with 12 rushing touchdowns.

FREAKY FOSKEY

• Isaiah Foskey has been the most consistent member of the Irish defensive line this season as he leads the team in sacks (10.0) and tackles-for-loss (11.5).
• His 10.0 sacks on the year, a number that is tied for ninth in the country.
• He has recorded at least one sack in eight of his 11 games this season and at least one tackle-for-loss in nine of the games.
• His 10.0 sacks are the most by an Irish player since Stephon Tuitt had 12.0 during the 2012 season.
• The mark ranks tied with Bert Berry and Mike Gann for fourth all-time at Notre Dame for most sacks in a single season.

• Foskey is second in the country with five forced fumbles on the season after he tied a career high with two forced fumbles against Georgia Tech.
• Foskey also ranks 18th in the FBS with two fumble recoveries this season.
• In the win over Southern Cal, Foskey set a career high with two forced fumbles and tied a career high with 2.0 sacks.
• Foskey forced his first-career fumble against Cincinnati after recording his first-career fumble recovery in the win over Wisconsin.
• Foskey began the season with a career-high eight tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks in the road win over Florida State.

SUPER SPECIALISTS

• The Irish entered the 2021 season with the same kicker and punter for the third straight season with the return of kicker Jonathan Doerer and punter Jay Bramblett.
• Doerer returns for his fifth season with the Irish thanks to the extra year of eligibility and is working his way up the Irish record book:

• In the win over Georgia Tech, Doerer moved into second all-time in Notre Dame history with 53 games played. He passed with Daelin Hayes, Drue Tranquill, Romeo Okwara, Zack Martin and Matthias Farley.
• Doerer also moved into sole possession of fourth all-time in Notre Dame history with 48 career field goals.
• He had a season-best three field goals made and 14 points in the win over North Carolina.
• Bramblett has played in every game (36) for the Irish since he came to campus prior to the 2019 season.
• He sits eighth all-time in Notre Dame history with 152 punts in his career.
• He is ranked fourth all-time in Notre Dame history with a 41.9 career punting average.
• Bramblett launched a career-long 72-yard punt in the win over Wisconsin this season. It was the longest punt by an Irish player since Hunter Smith had a 79-yard punt against Arizona State in 1998.

BALLIN BERTRAND

• Linebacker JD Bertrand continues to lead the Irish in tackles after recording four in the win over Georgia Tech.
• He leads the Irish with 87 tackles on the season and he has led or tied for the team lead in tackles in seven of the 11 games this season.
• He has had at least six tackles in nine games this season and seven tackles or more in seven games.
• He has totaled double-digit tackles in four games this season after having 10 in the win over Virginia Tech.
• Bertrand tied a career high with 12 tackles in the win over Purdue after he tallied 11 against Toledo and also had 12 in the season-opener against Florida State.
• The sophomore from Marietta, Georgia was the first Irish player to begin a season with three-straight double-digit tackles games since Courtney Watson back in 2001.
• He is also the first Irish player to have three-consecutive games (Florida State, Toledo and Purdue) with double-digit tackles since Alohi Gilman in 2018-19. Gilman had 10 tackles against Southern Cal and then 18 against Clemson in the College Football Playoff Semifinal in 2018 and followed it up with 10 tackles in the 2019 season opener against Louisville.
• In the win over Toledo, Bertrand set a career high in sacks (1.0) and recovered his first career fumble to seal the game late in the fourth quarter.
• Bertrand got his first career start in the opener against Florida State and his 12 tackles were the most by an Irish linebacker since Te’von Coney had 16 on Dec. 28, 2018 against Clemson.

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

• Since the start of 2018, Notre Dame is 43-6 (.878). That rate ranks fourth among all teams who have made an appearance in the College Football Playoff since its inception in 2014.
• Among those teams, Notre Dame is one of just five teams that have totaled six or fewer losses since the beginning of 2018.
• The Irish are one of five teams who have made playoff appearances in multiple seasons.

IRISH IN THE POLLS

• The Irish checked in this week at No. 5 in the AP and Coaches poll.
• Notre Dame has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 75-consecutive weeks, the longest such streak for the Irish since the 1994 season (124 weeks).

• The 75-week run currently ranks third among all FBS active streaks, which do not include teams who were not listed in the initial AP polls at the beginning of the 2020 season (Big Ten and Pac-12).

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