Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 30, 2021 9 UNDER THE DOME 3 Victories for Notre Dame after it was trailing in the fourth quarter through six games in 2021, tying for the most such wins in a single season under Brian Kelly. The Irish also achieved that feat in 2012, 2014 and 2015, which were all 13-game seasons. Here's a breakdown of this season's comeback wins: Date Opponent Fourth-Quarter Deficit Final Score Sept. 11 Toledo 29-24 32-29 Go-ahead score: Michael Mayer 18-yard pass from Jack Coan with 1:09 remaining Sept. 25 vs. Wisconsin* 13-10 41-13 Go-ahead score: Chris Tyree 96-yard kickoff return at the 14:01 mark Oct. 9 at Virginia Tech 29-21 32-29 Go-ahead score: Jonathan Doerer 48-yard field goal with 17 seconds to go * Game was played in Chicago 4 Different starters at left tackle for the Fighting Irish in the first six games of the 2021 season — freshman Blake Fisher, sophomore Michael Car- mody, sophomore Tosh Baker and freshman Joe Alt. From 2010-20, Notre Dame started only four players at left tackle during a stretch of 141 games. Zack Martin started 52 games there from 2010-13, followed by Ronnie Stanley for 26 games in 2014-15, Mike McGlinchey for 25 games in 2016-17 and Liam Eichenberg for 38 contests from 2018-20. 6th Was where the Blue Ribbon panel tabbed the Notre Dame women's basketball team to finish in the ACC preseason poll, behind NC State, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Florida State. Sophomore forward Maddy Westbeld earned a spot on the 10-player preseason All-ACC list, while fresh- man guards Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron were named to the five- person newcomer watch list. 9 Players nationally were averaging at least one sack per game through Oct. 16, including Notre Dame junior defensive ISAIAH FOSKEY. He was tied for eighth in the country with 1.0 sack per game. 10 Fighting Irish hockey alums made NHL opening-night rosters for the 2021-22 season — Anders Bjork, Buffalo Sabres; Ian Cole, Carolina Hurricanes; Jake Evans, Montreal Canadiens; Vinnie Hinostroza, Buf- falo Sabres; Anders Lee, New York Islanders; Kyle Palmieri, New York Islanders; Andrew Peeke, Columbus Blue Jackets; Cal Petersen, Los Angeles Kings; Bryan Rust, Pittsburgh Penguins; and Riley Sheahan, Seattle Kraken. 15 Different players tallied at least one point during the Notre Dame hockey team's 3-0 start. The Irish also had eight different goal scorers during that stretch. 27th Was where the Notre Dame men's basketball team was ranked in the KenPom.com preseason ratings, higher than every ACC team except Duke (No. 10) and Florida State (No. 24). The Fighting Irish's rating was bolstered by a projected No. 6 ranking in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency and a much-improved No. 96 rating in adjusted defensive efficiency. Notre Dame finished 85th overall in last year's KenPom ratings, with a No. 21 finish in ad- justed offensive efficiency and No. 203 showing in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Irish were tabbed to finish eighth in the ACC's preseason poll, behind Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Syracuse. Senior point guard Prentiss Hubb was named a preseason second- team All-ACC selection. 37 Straight wins for Notre Dame when it scores 30 or more points, after the 32-29 road win over Virginia Tech Oct. 9. The Irish are now 70-9 under head coach Brian Kelly when they score 30 or more points. 54 Career games — the most ever for a Notre Dame football player — for graduate student defensive lineman Kurt Hinish heading into the matchup with USC Oct. 23. He surpassed the previous mark of 52 held by offensive lineman Zack Martin (2010-13), defensive back Matthias Farley (2011-15), defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (2012-15), linebacker Drue Tranquill (2014-18) and defensive lineman Daelin Hayes (2016-20) in the Irish's 27-13 win over Purdue Sept. 18. Hinish, who took advantage of the extra year of eligibility offered by the NCAA due to the impact of COVID-19 on the 2020 campaign, missed the Wisconsin (Sept. 25) and Cincinnati (Oct. 2) games due to a concussion but extended his record by returning to action and playing against Virginia Tech (Oct. 9). ✦ BY THE NUMBERS PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS