Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1508769
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM OCT. 7, 2023 25 2 Takeaways for the Notre Dame defense — a first-quarter interception by senior safety Xavier Watts that set up a field goal and graduate student defensive tackle Howard Cross III's strip sack on Duke's final offensive play with 27 seconds remaining that sealed the outcome. Duke had won the turnover battle in 12 of head coach Mike Elko's first 17 games in charge of the program and went 10-2 in those contests. 5-4 Record for Notre Dame under head coach Marcus Freeman against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 at the time of the game. Three of those victories have come on the road against ACC foes — at Syracuse in 2022, and at North Carolina State and at Duke in 2023. 12 Penalties — a new season high — for 70 yards on Notre Dame, compared to just 2 for 28 by Duke. Nine of the Irish's penalties were pre-snap fouls (five false starts, three offsides and one delay of game). 17 Yards on Notre Dame graduate student quarterback Sam Hartman's fourth- and-16 scramble in the final minute of minute of the game that gave the Irish a first down and set up Audric Estimé's 30-yard touchdown run. Hartman's career-high rush remains a 25-yarder with Wake Forest last year. During the first 53 games of his career, Hartman averaged 16.0 yards rushing per game. He man- aged 23 yards on 6 carries against the Blue Devils. 29 Years between regular-season games in which a ranked Duke team played a ranked opponent. Prior to the No. 17 Blue Devils' 21-14 loss to the No. 11 Irish, the last time it hap- pened was when No. 23 Duke defeated No. 13 Virginia 28-25 on Nov. 5, 1994. This was the first time in eight meetings that the Irish and Blue Dev- ils were both ranked. 30 Straight regular-season victories versus ACC teams for the Fighting Irish, a new record. Notre Dame broke a tie with Florida State, which originally set the previous record of 29 from 1992-95. 62 Years ago remains the last time that Duke defeated Notre Dame at Wallace Wade Stadium. On Dec. 2, 1961, the Blue Devils beat Notre Dame 37-13. However, the Irish have won the last two matchups played in Durham, N.C., 38-7 in 2019 and 21-14 in 2023. The Irish now have a 6-2 lead in the all-time series between the two schools. 137 Passing attempts without an inter- ception for Sam Hartman so far this season. That is the best streak to start a season in school history, snapping the previous mark of 103. It is also the fourth-longest streak in school history, behind only Ian Book (266 in 2020), Brady Quinn (228 in 2006) and Jimmy Clausen (160 in 2009). 189 Yards rushing for Duke on 40 carries (4.7 yards per attempt. That is the most the Irish have surrendered in a game this season (the previous high was 131 by Central Michigan). It marked the first time in 2023 that Notre Dame, which compiled 159 yards rushing on 32 carries (5.0 yards per rush), lost the ground game battle. 40,768 Was the announced atten- dance at Wallace Wade Sta- dium, marking Duke's largest home crowd since 41,200 were on hand to watch the Blue Devils beat North Carolina State 35-26 on Nov. 11, 1989. BY THE NUMBERS BY STEVE DOWNEY 134 Yards receiving on 6 receptions for Notre Dame junior tight end Mitchell Evans. The rest of the Irish pass catchers managed just 88 yards on 9 catches. The 134 receiving yards is a new career high for Evans, his first career 100-yard game and the third most ever in a game by an Irish tight end. Evans sur- passed Irish legend Ken McAfee's 130-yard perfor- mance against Navy on Oct. 29, 1977, and trails only Anthony Fasano's 155-yard effort against Purdue on Oct. 2, 2004, and Kyle Rudolph's 164-yard day versus Michigan on Sept. 11, 2010. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP