Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1478022
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 10, 2022 25 2-22 Record (.083 winning percentage) for Notre Dame against As- sociated Press top-5 opponents since 1999, per The Athletic, following its 21-10 loss at Ohio State. From 1988-98, the Fighting Irish were 13-4 (.765) in such games. The only two victories over the past 23 years are the 47-40 two-overtime vic- tory over No. 1 Clemson in South Bend on Nov. 7, 2020, and the 17-10 conquest of No. 3 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Sept. 10, 2005. 3 Fighting Irish players made their first career start against Ohio State: sophomore tight end Kevin Bauman, sophomore quarterback Tyler Buch- ner and sophomore running back Audric Estime. Buchner became the first Chinese-American to start at quarterback for a Power Five team, per Notre Dame. 3 Receiving yards on 2 catches for Ohio State junior wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba against the Fighting Irish. In his previous game in the Rose Bowl against Utah on Jan. 1, he reeled in 15 receptions for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns. 3.1 Yards per carry (58 yards on 19 attempts) averaged by the three Notre Dame running backs that received carries. Junior Chris Tyree led the way with 6 rushes for 28 yards, while sophomore Audric Estime had 9 carries for 24 yards and 1 score, and sophomore Logan Diggs had 4 attempts for 9 yards. 5 Straight wins for Ohio State over Notre Dame, with all five coming since 1995. The Irish have not beaten the Buckeyes since a 7-2 triumph in 1936. 7 First-half points for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame were the fewest in a single half during fourth-year head coach Ryan Day's tenure. 8 Straight victories for quarterbacks in their first career start for the Fighting Irish between 2010 and 2021. Buchner became the first signal-caller to lose his Irish debut since Jimmy Clausen started under center in Notre Dame's 31-10 loss to a 14th-ranked Penn State squad in State College, Pa., on Sept. 8, 2007. Buchner, however, became just the third QB to make his first career start against a top-5 foe away from the friendly confines of South Bend. The other two are Johnny Lujack in a 26-0 victory over No. 3 Army in Yankee Stadium in 1943 and Sandy Bonvechio in a 12-7 loss at No. 4 Michigan State in 1963. 16 -Yard line was the average starting field position for Notre Dame, which began 6 of its 10 drives inside its own 20-yard line. 20 Percent completion rate (2 of 10) for Buchner following his 8-of-8 start passing the ball. He finished the game 10 of 18 for 177 yards. 23.1 Percent conversion rate (3 of 13) on third down for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish were unable to convert any of their 8 third-and- longs (7 yards or more), which averaged 10.5 yards per attempt. 158 Yards on 15 plays (10.5 yards per play) for Notre Dame on its two scoring drives. The Irish, though, managed just 95 yards on their other 33 plays (2.9 yards per play). 1990 Remains the last year a preseason No. 1 or No. 2 lost their open- ing game (No. 1 Miami fell 28-21 at BYU), with the Buckeyes escaping the Irish's upset bid. Later in the 1990 season, Notre Dame defeated then-No. 2 Miami — which marks the last time the Irish beat the nation's second-ranked squad. BY THE NUMBERS BY STEVE DOWNEY 54 -Yard reception for soph- omore wide receiver Lorenzo Styles on Notre Dame's first play from scrimmage. How- ever, he went catchless and was targeted just one more time the rest of the game. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER