Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1324423
24 JANUARY 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED ALABAMA 31, NOTRE DAME 14 Jan. 1, 2021 ✦ Attendance 18,373 AT&T Stadium ✦ Arlington, Texas Quarter 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Notre Dame 0 7 0 7 14 Alabama 14 7 7 3 31 ND UA FIRST QUARTER UA Smith 26-yard pass from Jones (Reichard kick) 10:14 0 7 Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 2:36 UA Billingsley 12-yard pass from Jones (Reichard kick) 4:19 0 14 Drive: 5 plays, 97 yards, 2:11 SECOND QUARTER ND Williams 1-yard run (Doerer kick) 11:16 7 14 Drive: 15 plays, 75 yards, 8:03 UA Smith 34-yard pass from Jones (Reichard kick) 8:49 7 21 Drive: 6 plays, 84 yards, 2:21 THIRD QUARTER UA Smith 7-yard pass from Jones (Reichard kick) 4:58 7 28 Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 2:29 FOURTH QUARTER UA Reichard 41-yard field goal 12:45 7 31 Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 4:20 ND Book 1-yard run (Doerer kick) 0:56 14 31 Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 4:36 ND UA Total First Downs 24 24 Rushing 8 8 Passing 13 15 Penalty 3 1 Rushing Attempts 38 25 Yards Gained Rushing 163 156 Yards Lost Rushing 24 16 Net Yards Rushing 139 140 Net Yards Passing 236 297 Passes Attempted 42 30 Passes Completed 28 25 Had Intercepted 1 0 Percent Completion 66.7% 83.3% Yards Per Attempt 5.6 9.9 Yards Per Completion 8.4 11.9 Total Offensive Plays 80 55 Total Net Yards 375 437 Average Gain Per Play 4.7 7.9 Fumbles: No.-Lost 2-0 0-0 Penalties: No.-Yards 3-25 6-59 Punts: No.-Yards 4-189 3-127 Average Per Punt 47.2 42.3 Average Net Punt 42.2 42.3 Punt Returns: No.-Yards 0-0 1-20 Kickoff Returns: No.-Yards 1-8 1-16 Interception Returns: No.-Yards 0-0 1-0 Fumble Returns: No.-Yards 0-0 0-0 Miscellaneous Yards 0 0 Possession Time 33:43 26:17 Third-Down Conversions 8-16 6-10 Percentage 50.0% 60.0% Fourth-Down Conversions 2-3 0-0 Percentage 66.7% 0.0% Sacks By: No.-Yards 1-8 2-15 after Smith mishandled it. The Irish drove into the red zone, but were un- able to score. Feature Performer: It was an ex- tremely busy quarter for Book. He completed only 13 passes the first three quarters but in the fourth alone he was 14 of 22 for 124 yards, and added six carries for 27 yards and the score. Stats: Through the first three quar- ters, Alabama's defense held Notre Dame to only 214 yards of total of- fense, including 25 in the third quar- ter. The Irish finished with 161 yards in the fourth quarter, but most of that was window dressing after the game had already been decided. Items: Alabama kicker Will Reich- ard booted a 41-yard field with 12:54 remaining to extend the lead to 31-7. … Notre Dame followed by driving to a first down at the Alabama 13, but an illegal shift by the Irish wiped out a touchdown pass by Book to Mayer. The Irish drive ended on downs at the 13 with 8:43 left and the score still 31-7. ✦ The Crimson Tide defense limited fifth-year senior quarterback Ian Book and the Irish offense to just 214 total yards and seven points through three quarters. PHOTO COURTESY COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF