Oct. 1, 2005

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2005 Notre Dame Football Final Game Notes
Notre Dame at Purdue
Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005 * Ross-Ade Stadium * West Lafayette, Ind.

Today’s attendance: 65,491 – the largest crowd since the Ross-Ade Stadium renovation in 2003 (15 games).

Notre Dame’s captains this afternoon were senior Brandon Hoyte (defense), junior Brady Quinn (offense) and junior Chase Anastasio (special teams). The special team’s captain is selected by the Irish coaching staff week-to-week. Hoyte and Quinn were selected as season-long captains by their teammates. Notre Dame won the toss and elected to receive. Purdue defended the south goal.

NOTRE DAME TEAM NOTES:

Notre Dame and Purdue met for the 77th time this evening and the Irish now lead the all-time series by a 50-25-2 count. Purdue becomes the second Notre Dame regular opponent against which the Irish have accumulated 50 wins (68 vs. Navy).

Notre Dame has now claimed victories over three ranked opponents on the road this season – and all three victories occurred on the opponent’s home field. That marks the first time Notre Dame has defeated three ranked teams on the road since 2002 (vs. #21 Maryland, at #18 Air Force, at #11 Florida State), but the first time since 1990 that feat has been achieved on the opponent’s home field (at #24 Michigan State, at #9 Tennessee, at #18 USC).

The three ranked victories also occurred in the first five games of the year. The 2005 season marks the 11th time Notre Dame has faced three ranked opponents in its first five games of the season – and the ’05 season is the first time since 1980 (vs. #13 Miami, vs. #14 Michigan and vs. #9 Purdue) that the team has won all three such games in five attempts (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003).

Notre Dame improves to 52-24-1 all-time in night games with tonight’s victory. The Irish played their first night game on Oct. 5, 1951, against Detroit in Briggs Stadium. The Irish are 2-0 in night games this season (Pittsburgh).

With 621 yards of total offense in today’s game, Notre Dame has now piled up over 500 yards of offense in four of its first five games. The team compiled 502 at Pittsburgh, 594 against Michigan State and 560 at Washington. The last time the Irish put up 500 yards of offense four times in a single season was 1996. From 1997-2004, Notre Dame reached 500 total yards of offense in a game only five times. The 621 yards is the team’s best total since they rolled up 648 against Rutgers in 1996.

With 49 points scored in tonight’s game, Notre Dame has scored over 40 points in three of its first five games this season. The last Irish team to accomplish that feat was the 1992 team, which defeated Northwestern 42-7, Michigan State 52-31 and Purdue 48-0. The last time Notre Dame scored 40 points in a game three times in a single season was 2000, when the team beat Navy 45-14, West Virginia 42-28 and Rutgers 45-17. The 49 points are the most scored by Notre Dame against Purdue since the Irish won 52-7 in 1988 and marks just the fourth time the Irish have scored 49 or more against the Boilermakers (49-6 in 1946, 52-6 in 1983, 52-7 in 1988).

Notre Dame had two scoring drives of 90 and 98 yards in the first quarter. The last time Notre Dame posted two drives of 90 yards or more in a game was in 1996 against Purdue (in Notre Dame Stadium, drives of 92 and 90 yards). The 98-yard drive was the longest for the Irish since a 98-yard effort against Pittsburgh in 2001.

Purdue’s fumble in the first quarter marked the fifth time this season Notre Dame has forced its opponent into a turnover in the red zone (three fumbles, two interceptions, 14 attempts by opponents entering tonight’s game).

Notre Dame’s blocked field goal in the second quarter was the first for the Irish since 2002 against Stanford. It was the first career blocked kick for junior Trevor Laws.

Notre Dame has seen 24 players make their Irish playing debut in the first five games of the season. James Bent, Justin Brown, David Bruton*, Maurice Crum, Jr., Casey Cullen, Paul Duncan*, Leo Ferrine, David Fitzgerald, David Grimes*, LaBrose Hedgemon III, Ray Herring*, Joey Hiben*, Pat Kuntz*, Terrail Lambert, Ashley McConnell, Marty Mooney, Steve Quinn * Asaph Schwapp*, Dwight Stephenson, Jr., Scott Smith*, Ronald Talley and Michael Turkovich*, Anthony Vernaglia. * – indicates freshman

Notre Dame now enters its first bye week of the season. Notre Dame is 24-4 (.857) in regular season games following a regularly scheduled bye week since 1984.

Dorien Bryant’s 14 catches in tonight’s game matched the Notre Dame opponent record held by three different players (Robert Lavette, Georgia Tech, 1981; John Jackson, USC, 1989 and Jim Price, Stanford, 1989).

NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

Brady Quinn threw for 283 yards in the first half tonight. That marks the most yards ever for a Notre Dame quarterback in the first half. No Notre Dame quarterback had broken the 230-yard barrier in the first 30 minutes (of those Irish quarterbacks that ended up throwing for over 300 yards in a game). Quinn threw for 200 yards in the first half against Purdue last season in Notre Dame Stadium.

Quinn’s 440-yard passing effort mark the third consecutive game the Irish signal caller has gone over the 300-yard barrier (487 vs. Michigan State, 327 vs. Washington). He is the first Notre Dame quarterback to throw for over 300 yards in three straight games and the first to throw for over 300 yards three times in one season. He also is the first Notre Dame quarterback to throw for over 400 yards three times in his career (432 vs. Purdue, last season, 487 vs. Michigan State). The 440-yard effort also is a Purdue opponent record, breaking Quinn’s own mark of 432 set last season.

Quinn’s 440 total yards passing pushed his career total to 6,038 yards, making him the third Notre Dame quarterback to throw for over 6,000 yards in a career. Ron Powlus (1994-97) is the all-time leader with 7,602, followed by Steve Beuerlein (1983-86) with 6,527. Quinn surpassed Rick Mirer (5,997, 1989-92) in tonight’s game.

Quinn completed 11 consecutive passes during the second and third quarter tonight – marking the second time he accomplished that feat this season. He completed 11 straight at Pittsburgh as well. That streak is good for third on the all-time list behind Jarious Jackson (12 vs. Navy, 1998) and Ron Powlus (14 vs. Michigan State, 1997).

Quinn’s touchdown pass in the second quarter marks the 10th consecutive game the junior has thrown a touchdown pass, matching the Notre Dame record held by John Huarte (10 in 1964).

Maurice Stovall’s eight catches for 134 yards mark the second time this season and fourth time in his career that the senior wide out has gone over 100 yards receiving. He caught eight passes for 176 yards against Michigan State. It also marks the third consecutive game a Notre Dame receiver has posted 100 or more receiving yards.

With his touchdown reception in the second quarter, Jeff Samardzija has now caught a touchdown pass in all five Notre Dame games this season. He is the first Irish receiver to start the season with touchdown pass in five consecutive games. He also is one off the top Notre Dame streak for consecutive games with a touchdown reception, as the record is six by Malcolm Johnson in 1996. He also notched the second 100-yard receiving game of his career (and second consecutive) with seven catches for 153 yards.

Samardzija added another touchdown reception in the third quarter – giving him eight on the season. That total is tied for third on the Notre Dame single-season list with Jim Seymour (1966) and Tom Gatewood (1969). Derrick Mayes owns the single-season record with 11 in 1994.

Junior John Carlson’s 22-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the first scoring catch of his career and a career-long reception.

Darius Walker’s rushing touchdown in the third quarter was the third of the season for the sophomore (and 10th of his career). Tonight’s game marks the first time Walker has scored a rushing touchdown in consecutive games in his two-year career – as he rushed for one score at Washington last weekend.

Matt Shelton set a career high with seven receptions in tonight’s game (68 yards).

Sophomore Leo Ferrine made his first career start tonight when the Irish opened up in its nickel defense package.

Rashon Powers-Neal rushed for his sixth and seventh touchdown of the season in tonight’s game. The six rushing touchdowns for Powers-Neal in 2005 surpass his career total entering the season (three rushing, two receiving). That is also matches the rushing touchdown total for the team leader for the Irish in 2004 (seven by Darius Walker).

Sophomore David Wolke completed his first career pass on his first career pass attempt in the fourth quarter this evening. Senior Rob Woods posted his first career reception on the 28-yard play.