Notre Dame Football: Hang on for thrilling overtime win

The college football season is officially underway. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish didn’t want to be like some other big favorites over the weekend that lost big games early. Teams like the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets allowed a team like the Northern Illinois Huskies to go into their building and beat them on a late two-point conversion.

It wasn’t a great scene for those now 0-1 teams and Notre Dame didn’t want to be like them. The only difference is that the Irish had to head down south to take on the Seminoles in Florida. They defeated them by a final score of 41-38. It was a thrilling football game but there are definitely some things for the Irish to work on as the season moves along.

For one, it would be nice to see a game like that not get so close. Notre Dame was winning 38-20 going into the 4th quarter. In that 4th quarter, the Florida State Seminoles outscored the Irish 18-0 and tied the game. In overtime, they missed a field goal try and allowed Notre Dame to walk it off with a field goal of their own.

It was exciting but it should have never gotten to that point. They need to be better at taking care of the football late in the game and not taking their foot off the gas. There is plenty of season left to get things right but this was a big wake-up call for them. After the way the last few seasons have gone, it is clear that they can win big games during the regular season but that certainly isn’t the formula.

Notre Dame had some big moments throughout the game and was able to hang on.

Jack Coan had a nice day at quarterback for the Irish. He went 26/35 with 366 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. With him leading the way, there is a good chance that they can win some games this season. Hopefully, he continues to have good games like this one. The offense was great when it needed to be.

Michael Mayer is certainly an impressive player for the Irish. He had nine receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown in this one. His chemistry with Coan looks nice and is something they hope can continue all year long. Having a tight-end to target like that is nice for any quarterback and these two are doing it well so far.

Notre Dame certainly has some tough games on the schedule. Next week, on Saturday this time, Toledo is in South Bend to take on the Irish in their home opener. It is a big game for them as they look to keep the momentum going in their quest for a perfect season and a push for the college football playoff.