Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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called it payday." With the first half coming to a close, Golson started to cash in big. First, he split the Rice defense for a 14-yard scramble and leaped into the end zone to cap an 86-yard drive. Senior defensive back Matthias Far- ley's interception on the ensuing drive set up the Irish offense with a chance to end the half with a bit more separa- tion. Two plays later, Golson bought time with his legs before finding junior slot receiver C.J. Prosise with a 53-yard scoring pass with five seconds remain- ing in the half. The catch, which gave the Irish a 28- 10 lead at halftime, was a redemptive one for Prosise. He dropped another off-balance 50-yard bomb from Golson in the end zone earlier in the quarter. "You can tell he's matured," Rice head coach David Bailiff said of Gol- son. "You can tell he's studied the game, and he's a much more complete quarterback than he was. I think the decisions come to him a lot faster on what's presented to him. I was very impressed with him today." Seven different players caught passes for Notre Dame against the Rice de- fense, but none had more than four catches. Notre Dame's rushing at- tack, which picked up 281 yards, was equally balanced. All five players that carried the ball finished with at least 40 rushing yards. Kelly rotated his three running backs in what he admitted was an ongoing experiment to find the best way to keep them all involved. "We don't have an exact science. I wish I could be that smart," he said. "But we are really trying to figure out how to get them the carries that they all deserve and also keep them in the flow of the game." Sophomores Greg Bryant and Tar- ean Folston tied for the team high with 71 yards each. Bryant capped Notre Dame's scoring in the fourth quarter with a 17-yard run for his first career touchdown. Senior Cam McDaniel added 40 yards on his eight carries. He also stopped a fake punt short of the first down marker, which set up the Irish to deliver a finishing blow in the third quarter. Golson took advantage of the result- ing short field to score his third rush- ing touchdown of the day. He impro- vised again for a four-yard run when he and Bryant got their signals crossed on a hand-off, leaving the quarterback standing by himself in the backfield. That wasn't the only hiccup for the Irish during their season opener. The offense missed a handful of opportu- nities that let the Owls keep the game close through most of the first half. A pair of blown coverages led to Rice's two touchdowns. Redshirt junior quarterback Driphus Jackson (13-of-24 passing for 163 yards) took advantage of the first mistake in Notre Dame's secondary on a 26-yard strike to wide-open redshirt sophomore wide receiver Zach Wright in the sec- ond quarter. That score tied the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter. Notre Dame responded on the very next play. Sophomore Will Fuller burned past the Rice defense and hauled in a 75-yard touchdown pass from Golson, a career long for both players.