Nov. 7, 2015

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TEAM NOTES

• The Irish improve to 8-1 for the first time since starting the 2012 season at 9-0.
• The Irish have now won at least eight games in each of Brian Kelly’s first six years at the helm. The previous high was Dan Devine’s four from 1975-78. No coach has won at least eight games for a longer stretch since Lou Holtz’s teams won at least eight games for seven straight years from 1987-93.
• The win is the 53rd of Kelly’s time with the Irish, matching Dan Devine for fifth-most in school history behind only Knute Rockne (105), Holtz (100), Ara Parseghian (95) and Frank Leahy (87).
• Notre Dame improves to 48-21-1 all-time in the 70-game Pitt series, including a 27-11-1 record at Pitt.
• Notre Dame’s 42 points are the most in a “power 5” road game since a 49-28 win at Purdue on Oct. 1, 2005.
• Notre Dame has had a 100-yard rusher in seven of its nine games this year (all but Texas and Clemson)
• Notre Dame’s secondary now has an interception in each of its last six games after not making any in its first three.
• All seven of Notre Dame’s interceptions this fall have come from defensive backs.
• The Irish have only trailed once after the first quarter this year ââ’¬” when the Irish faced a 14-3 deficit after 15 minutes of play at Clemson (Oct. 3). The Irish are 8-0 this year when leading after the first quarter.
• Pitt scored 14 points in the third quarter today. The Irish had yielded just 20 points over their first eight games this season in the third quarter. Today is the first time the Irish have yielded two third quarter TDs since LSU scored a pair in the 2014 Music City Bowl. The Irish entered today allowing just 3.34 points per third quarter in the Brian Kelly era ââ’¬” the fewest in the nation since 2010.
• Notre Dame altered its travel schedule to better prepare for its first noon ET regular-season game since 2011, arriving in Pittsburgh on Thursday night, a day early than usual, to better simulate its pregame routine on Friday morning at Duquesne. The Irish responded well, scoring 1:11 into today’s game and taking a 21-3 lead at halftime.
• This is the largest crowd for a Pitt game at Heinz Field (68,400). The Irish also set a Temple attendance record last week at Lincoln Financial Field. Every Irish game this year ââ’¬” home and away ââ’¬” has been sold out.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Will Fuller’s three TD catches today tie for the second-most in school history. Maurice Stovall had four against BYU on Oct. 22, 2005. It is the 14th three-TD game in school history, a feat Fuller also accomplished against Northwestern on Nov. 15, 2014.
• Fuller joins Michael Floyd (2008-11) and Golden Tate (2007-09) as the only Irish receivers with multiple three-TD catch games in their Irish careers.
• Fuller’s two TDs today give him 28 in his Irish career, moving him into second-place in school history ahead of Jeff Samardzija (2003-06). During the game, he also passed Golden Tate (2007-09) who had 26 TD catches for Notre Dame.
• Today is the ninth 100-yard receiving game of Fuller’s career, tying Samardzija and Derrick Mayes (1992-95) for fourth in school history.
• Fuller now has eight TD catches of at least 30-yards on the season.
• Fuller now his 2,142 career receiving yards, placing him 10th in school history, ahead of Jim Seymour (1966-68) who had 2,113.
• DeShone Kizer’s five TD passes today are the most since Tommy Rees threw five at Air Force on Oct. 26, 2013. It matches the school record in a road game, joining that effort by Rees, Jimmy Clausen at Stanford in 2009, Clausen at Hawaii in the 2008 Hawaii Bowl and Brady Quinn at Michigan State in 2006.
• Kizer accounted for 36 points today, matching Everett Golson (Nov. 1, 2014 vs. Navy) for the second-most in school history behind just 37 from Art Smith against Loyola-Chicago on Oct. 28, 1911.
• Josh Adams had his second career 100-yard rushing game this year, joining his 133-yard effort against UMass on Sept. 26. His fourth quarter TD reception was his first career TD catch.
• The 147 rushing yards by Adams today stands one shy of the school freshman record of 148 set by Jerome Heavens against Georgia Tech on Nov. 8, 1975 in “the Rudy game.”
• Torii Hunter Jr. saw time as the team’s nickelback today and also in his usual role as a wide receiver. The last Notre Dame player to play on both sides of the ball since safety Tom Zbikowski had a two-yard carry against Duke on Nov. 17, 2007, while lined up as a “wildcat” quarterback.
• Hunter Jr. caught his second TD of the season today and the third of his career. His other TD in 2015 came with 0:07 left in the game at Clemson on Oct. 3.
• Tyler Newsome had three of his four punts today go for at least 50 yards.
• Romeo Okwara had a pair of sacks today, the first multiple-sack effort for a Notre Dame player since Matthias Farley against Navy on Nov. 1, 2014, at FedEx Field.
• Matthias Farley’s second quarter interception was his first of the season and eighth of his Irish career.