Nov. 1, 2009

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

Notre Dame won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Washington State received. The Irish defended the goal to the North.

Notre Dame 1987 Heisman Trophy winner and Dallas native Tim Brown was an honorary captain for the Irish this evening.

IRISH FEEL AT HOME IN SAN ANTONIO
Notre Dame’s Alamodome appearance was a homecoming of sorts for 35 Irish players who participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl prep high school all-star game. The group includes seniors FB James Aldridge, WR Barry Gallup, CB Raeshon McNeil, OG Chris Stewart, CB Darrin Walls, OL Dan Wenger and OT Sam Young; juniors RB Armando Allen, QB Jimmy Clausen, CB Gary Gray, RB Robert Hughes, WR Duval Kamara, TE Mike Ragone and OT Matt Romine; sophomores CB Robert Blanton, OL Lane Clelland, QB Dayne Crist, DT Sean Cwynar, LB Steve Filer, LB Darius Fleming, WR Michael Floyd, OL Mike Golic, WR John Goodman, RB Jonas Gray, DT Ethan Johnson, LB Anthony McDonald, DL Brandon Newman, OG Trevor Robinson and TE Kyle Rudolph; and freshmen WR Shaquelle Evans, TE Jake Golic, S Zeke Motta, DT Tyler Stockton, OL Chris Watt and RB Cierre Wood.

NOTRE DAME INDOORS
Saturday’s game was Notre Dame’s seventh ever indoors. The Irish improved to 2-5 all-time in domes. Notre Dame lost its last game inside a dome in 2003 (Carrier Dome, Syracuse, 38-12). In fact, tonight’s victory was the first for the Irish in a dome since the 1992 Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame’s other games played inside include: Hoosier Dome, 1984 (L, Purdue, 21-23); Superdome, 1981 (L, Georgia, 10-17); Bank One Ball Park, 2004 (L, Oregon State, 21-38); Superdome, 1992 (W, 39-28, Florida); Superdome, 2007 (L, 14-41, LSU).

TONIGHT’S VICTORY

• Improves Notre Dame to 6-2 for the first time since 2005.
• Improves Notre Dame to 2-1 (.667) this season away from Notre Dame Stadium.
• Improves Notre Dame to 2-0 (1.000) in the all-time series with Washington State.
• Improves Notre Dame to 1-0 (1.000) in the all-time series with the Cougars away from Notre Dame Stadium.
• Improves Notre Dame to 82-43-6 (.649) all-time against the Pac-10 Conference.
• Improves Notre Dame to 10-0 (1.000) all-time against schools from the state of Washington (Washington and Washington State).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record to 16-4 (.800) in games played in the state of Texas.
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time neutral record against the Pac-10 to 4-2 (.667).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record in night games to 55-27-3 (.665).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record to 837-286-42 (.736).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record on the road to 293-142-22 (.665).
• Improves Weis’ record to 35-23 (.603) overall, 10-4 (.714) against the Pac-10 and 1-0 (1.000) against Washington State.
• Improves Weis’ record to 16-11 (.593) overall and 6-2 (.750) against the Pac-10 away from Notre Dame Stadium.
• Improves Weis’ record to 12-6 (.667) in October games.
• Improves Weis’ record in night games to 8-5 (.615).

STREAKS

• The following players extended active starting streaks: senior OT Sam Young 45, senior OC Eric Olsen 26, junior QB Jimmy Clausen 23, sophomore TE Kyle Rudolph 20 and senior SS Kyle McCarthy 20.

IRISH USE LEPRECAT TO SUPREME SUCCESS

• Notre Dame implemented the Leprecat offense this season and it paid dividends on the touchdown drive late in the first quarter. The Irish went 80 yards in six plays and 59 came on the ground out of the Leprecat formation. Junior WR Golden Tate had two carries for 43 yards, including a 33-yard run.
• Tate capped off a 71-yard, eight play drive with a 16-yard touchdown run, again, out of the Leprecat to give Notre Dame a 16-0 lead early in the second quarter.

NOTRE DAME OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT

• Notre Dame totaled 592 yards of total offense – the most by an Irish team since Nov. 26, 2005 at Stanford (fourth-most in the Weis era).
• The Irish rolled up 255 yards on the ground – the most by an Irish team since Sept. 3, 2005 at Pittsburgh (second-most in the Weis era).
• Notre Dame recorded 32 first downs – the most by an Irish team since Sept. 30, 2006 vs. Purdue (third for third-most in the Weis era).
• Notre Dame registered 40 points for the 12th time under Weis and first time of the 2009 season.

IRISH DEFENSE DOMINATES

• Notre Dame limited Washington State to 206 total yards. The Cougars managed just 102 on the ground and 104 in the air.

QUARTER-BY-QUARTER TEAM NOTES

• Notre Dame registered a field goal on its opening possession of the game. The Irish have scored on their opening possession in five of six home games (including tonight’s contest) this season. Notre Dame failed to score on the opening drive against USC.
• The Irish defense did not allow Washington State a first down until the final play of the first quarter. The Cougars managed just 30 total yards in the opening 15 minutes (19 rushing yards and 11 passing yards).
• Notre Dame racked up an astounding 23 first downs, 151 rushing yards, 265 passing yards and 416 total yards in the first half. The Irish also scored 30 points for the first time in a half since totaling 31 in the first half against North Carolina in 2006. Notre Dame averaged a remarkable 9.45 yards per play in the first half.
• Junior QB Jimmy Clausen spearheaded an astounding offensive assault in the first half for Notre Dame. He completed 19-of-22 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns in the opening 30 minutes. In fact, Clausen completed 13-of-14 for 204 yards and one touchdown in the second quarter alone. He completed his last 12 passes before halftime.
• Junior WR Golden Tate had an equally jaw-dropping first half. The wideout had 82 yards receiving and another 61 on the ground to total 143 all-purpose yards. He also added a 50-yard touchdown reception and 16-yard touchdown rush.
• Notre Dame outgained Washington State 416 to 104 in the first half. The Irish ran 44 plays to the Cougars 24.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Jimmy Clausen, Jr., QB

• Clausen finished the afternoon 22-of-27 for 268 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He left the game midway through the third quarter. Clausen has now thrown 124 consecutive passes without an interception. It ranks fifth-best in single-season Irish history. He already posted a streak of 147 passes without an interception (spanning the end of the 2008 season and into the Purdue game of 2009).
• Clausen has thrown a touchdown pass in eight straight games. In fact, he has tossed at least two touchdown passes in four consecutive games.
• Clausen spearheaded an astounding offensive assault in the first half for Notre Dame. He completed 19-of-22 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns in the opening 30 minutes. In fact, Clausen completed 13-of-14 for 204 yards and one touchdown in the second quarter alone. He completed his last 12 passes before halftime. Clausen threw an incomplete pass to open the second half. The 12 straight completions are tied for third-best in single-game Notre Dame history.
• Clausen moved past Steve Beuerlein (1986), Joe Theismann (1970) and Brady Quinn (2003) into seventh place on the Notre Dame single-season pass completions list.
• Clausen moved past Ron Powlus (1994-97) into second place on the Notre Dame career pass completions list.
• Clausen moved past John Huarte (1964), Ron Powlus (1997), Rick Mirer (1991) and Steve Beuerlein (1986) into seventh place on the Notre Dame single-season passing yards list.
• Clausen moved past Steve Beuerlein (1983-86) into third place on the Notre Dame career passing yards list.
• Clausen moved past Jarious Jackson (1999) and Brady Quinn (2004) into a tie for fifth place on the Notre Dame single-season passing touchdowns list.
• Clausen moved past John Huarte (1964) into 10th place on the Notre Dame single-season total yards list.
• Clausen moved past Joe Montana (1978) into ninth place on the Notre Dame single-season total yards list.
• Clausen moved past Steve Beuerlein (1986) into eighth place on the Notre Dame single-season total yards list.
• Clausen has been tremendous in the clutch for the Irish this season. He has recorded 13 touchdowns and no turnovers when Notre Dame has been tied or trailing (12 passing TDs, one rushing TD).

Golden Tate, Jr., WR

• Notre Dame implemented the Leprecat offense this season and it paid dividends on the touchdown drive late in the first quarter. The Irish went 80 yards in six plays and 59 came on the ground out of the Leprecat formation. Tate had two carries for 43 yards on the drive, including a 33-yard run.
• Tate capped off a 71-yard, eight play drive with a 16-yard touchdown run, again, out of the Leprecat to give Notre Dame a 16-0 lead early in the second quarter.
• The rushing touchdown was his second of the season and third of his career. The touchdown was also Tate’s 10th overall of the season and 22nd of his career, including both rushing and receiving.
• Tate hauled in a spectacular 50-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first half to give Notre Dame a 30-7 lead. The touchdown was Tate’s first receiving score of the game and second of the game overall.
• Tate has registered three consecutive games with two or more touchdowns.
• Tate has already registered 34 catches that have resulted in first downs. He also has 13 receptions of over 20 yards, including eight over 30 yards. Tate has now recorded 36 receptions of at least 20 yards and 25 catches have gained at least 30 yards over his career.
• Tate finished the game with four receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown. He failed to become the first Irish player to record four straight 100-yard games since Tom Gatewood set the school record with five consecutive 100-yard receiving games in 1970.
• He has eclipsed 120 all-purpose yards seven times in 2009 and 15 times over his Irish career.
• Tate moved past Jim Seymour (1966-68) into seventh place on the Irish career receiving yards list. He also moved past Tony Hunter (1979-82) into ninth place on the Notre Dame career receptions list.

Robert Hughes, Jr., RB

• Gave the Irish a 23-0 lead with 4:05 left before halftime with a one-yard touchdown plunge. The touchdown was Hughes fourth of the season and 12 of his career.
• Hughes finished the night with 131 yards on 24 carries. The 131 yards is the second-most in his career (Hughes ran for 136 against Stanford in 2007). The 24 carries was a career-best.

Jamoris Slaughter, So., S

• Recorded his first career start.

Duval Kamara, Jr., WR

• Registered his first touchdown of the season and sixth of his career. It gave the Irish a 9-0 advantage with 14 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Nick Tausch, Fr., PK

• Connected on a 29-yard field goal with 9:44 to go in the first quarter to give Notre Dame a 3-0 lead.
• Added a second field goal of the game. Gave the Irish a 33-7 lead with 3:16 remaining in the third quarter.
• After missing the first field goal attempt of his career at Michigan, Tausch has now connected on 14 consecutive field goals – a Notre Dame school record. The previous school record was held by Mike Johnston, who made 13 straight during the 1982 season.

Dayne Crist, So., QB

• Hooked up with fellow sophomore John Goodman for a 64-yard touchdown strike with 10:01 left in the fourth quarter to give the Irish a 40-7 lead.
• The touchdown pass was the first of his career. Interestingly enough, the touchdown pass was Crist’s first since tossing a touchdown in the 2007 U.S. Army All-American game.

John Goodman, So., WR

• Hooked up with fellow sophomore Dayne Crist for a 64-yard touchdown catch with 10:01 left in the fourth quarter to give the Irish a 40-7 lead.
• The touchdown reception was the first of his career. Interestingly enough, the touchdown reception was Goodman’s first since hauling in a touchdown in the 2007 U.S. Army All-American game.