Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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end zone in the second overtime by senior Cierre Wood with the score tied at 23. The Irish received a reprieve when Pitt kicker Kevin Harper missed a 33-yard field goal that could have won the game on the next series. BY THE NUMBERS 1 this season, with none by more than seven points and two occurring in overtime. Not including the overtimes, the Fighting Irish have outscored their foes by a total of 83-70 in the five games. 4.6 5-0 last Irish quarterback to begin 7-0 as the starter was freshman Matt LoVecchio during the 2000 BCS campaign, before losing 41-9 to Oregon State in the Fiesta Bowl. Since the advent of the T-formation in 1942, the other Irish quarterbacks to open their starting careers with more victories were Bob Wil- liams (1949-50) with 11, Kevin McDougal (1993) with 10 and Frank Tripucka (1948) with nine. 7-0 14 extra sessions and eventually win in the third over- time. It is the most points the Irish came back in the fourth quarter to win a game since the 40-37 victory at Michigan State on Sept. 23, 2006. The Irish were behind 37-21 in that one during the fourth quarter. Points from which Notre Dame rallied (20-6) in the fourth quarter to put the game into Points — the average margin of victory for Notre Dame amidst its 5-0 record at home The school record for victories by seven points or less in one season is six, set in 1939 when it was 6-1 in such contests. The 1937 team was 5-1-1 and the 2002 unit was 5-1. Record of Notre Dame this season in games decided by seven or fewer points. Record of sophomore Everett Golson as Notre Dame's starting quarterback. The Brian Kelly is the first head coach since Lou Holtz to win 25 games in his first three seasons at Notre Dame, reaching that mark with the triumph over Pitt. mage — the longest play of the season against the Irish. The longest previous play was a 41-yard pass by Navy in the opener. The longest run had been 31 yards by Michigan's Fitzgerald Toussaint Sept. 22. Graham added a 48-yard run in the third quarter. In 2011, Graham also had the longest run versus the Irish with a 42-yard effort. 55 Yards gained by Pitt running back Ray Gra- ham on the Panthers' first play from scrim- against Pitt, Notre Dame is now averaging 200.3 yards rushing (1,803 yards in nine games) and 204.1 yards passing (1,837). Only two Irish teams ever have achieved the 200-200 in both categories: The 1977 national champs averaged 231.9 rushing and 208.1 passing, and the 1970 team that finished No. 2 aver- aged 257.8 rushing and 252.7 passing. 200-200 With the 231 yards rush- ing and 291 yards passing Fumble lost by Notre Dame running backs in nine games. It happened to occur in the Pitt BY LOU SOMOGYI coach Lou Holtz (1986-96) after their first 35 games. The difference is Holtz's 25th win was in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl to clinch the national title during a 12-0 record in his third season. 25-10 Records of BriAn Kelly and former Notre Dame head PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA