Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 17, 2022 11 UNDER THE DOME 3.6 Rushing yards per attempt, per Pro Football Focus, for the Fighting Irish in their season opener at Ohio State Sept. 3 was the 12th- lowest rate in the Power Five during Week 1. The running back trio of junior Chris Tyree and sophomores Audric Estime and Logan Diggs forced only 4 missed tackles on their 19 carries versus the Buckeyes. 10.53 Million viewers on average for the Notre Dame-Ohio State game in Week 1 mak- ing it the most watched game of the weekend and the most watched game on ESPN's networks since 2017. The viewership amounted to more than that of any 2021 regular season game outside of the 15.9 million viewers who watched Michigan beat Ohio State for the first time since 2011. The Irish and Buckeyes drew the second-largest Week 1 Saturday televi- sion audience ever, per ESPN. The second-most watched game of Week 1 was Florida State's 24-23 victory over LSU the next evening. Former Irish head coach Brian Kelly's first game with the Tigers averaged 7.55 million viewers. 17.5 Point spread, per Caesars Sportsbook, in the season-opening matchup between No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 2 Ohio State marked just the fourth time in the past 45 years a team was favored by 17 or more points in an Associated Press top-five matchup. Notre Dame also faced Alabama (-18.5) in such an instance in the semifinals of the 2021 College Football Playoff when the Irish lost to the Crimson Tide 31-14. Notre Dame was an underdog of 14 points or more only four times during the Brian Kelly era (2010-21). The Irish lost all four of those games but went 3-1 against the spread, with the lone failure to cover coming at USC (45-27) as 17.5-point underdogs in the season finale of the disastrous 4-8 campaign in 2016. The Irish have been an underdog of at least 17.5 points eight times since 1998, and are now 4-4 against the spread in those games after they covered against Ohio State this season: Date Opponent Point Spread Result Cover Sept. 3, 2022 at Ohio State 17.5 L, 21-10 Yes Jan. 1, 2021 Alabama (neutral) 18.5 L, 31-14 Yes Nov. 26, 2016 at USC 17.5 L, 45-27 No Nov. 29, 2008 at USC 32.5 L, 38-3 No Oct. 6, 2007 at UCLA 21 W, 20-6 Yes Sept. 29, 2007 at Purdue 21.5 L, 33-19 Yes Sept. 8, 2007 at Penn State 18 L, 31-10 No Nov. 27, 2004 at USC 24 L, 41-10 No 1,334 Points and 684 rebounds were compiled by John Shumate at Notre Dame over 59 collegiate games from 1971-74. The 6-foot-9 center will be the program's 10th individual inducted into the school's Ring of Honor, with the ceremony set for December 11 when the Irish host Marquette. A two-time All-American and a consensus first-team choice in 1974, Shumate is one of six Irish greats to average a double-double over their respective careers, posting 22.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game (the latter figure ranks sixth in program history). The other five include Tommy Hawkins, Ron Reed, Bob Whitmore, Walt Sahm and last year's Ring of Honor inductee, LaPhonso Ellis. "No one embodies the spirit of the Notre Dame man more than John Shu- mate," current Irish head coach Mike Brey said. "He was a great player and a coach/teacher for us. He remains to this day a great ambassador for the University and our basketball program." $413,523,154 Is the combined earnings to date for 39 Fighting Irish alumni on NFL rosters (active, practice squad and IR), per Spotrac.com as of Sept. 8. That put the Fighting Irish 13th among colleges nationally: Rk. School Active Players Career Earnings To Date 1. Alabama 65 $1,020,955,195 2. LSU 57 $871,278,181 3. Ohio State 56 $854,089,083 4. Michigan 37 $698,194,221 5. Georgia 48 $695,681,523 6. California 18 $664,622,207 7. Wisconsin 29 $640,977,182 8. Texas A&M 25 $582,996,182 9. Clemson 32 $535,061,777 10. Oklahoma 40 $516,042,000 11. Mississippi State 21 $503,899,742 12. Florida State 21 $432,558,229 13. Notre Dame 39 $413,523,164 Here are the top five NFL earners among active Irish alumni, per Spotrac: Rk. Player, Pos., Team Career Earnings To Date 1. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Baltimore Ravens $79,145,183 2. Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings $68,018,489 3. Zack Martin, OG, Dallas Cowboys $65,294,531 4. Kyle Rudolph, TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers $57,936,853 5. Quenton Nelson, OG, Indianapolis Colts $24,256,393 ✦ BY THE NUMBERS PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER