Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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TOP FIVE INDIVIDUAL PLAYS BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 139 BY THE NUMBERS 5 Consecutive years Notre Dame has lost the regular- season finale either at Stanford or USC. That broke the previous school record of four shared in 1961-64 and 1980-83. The loss to the Cardinal last year also was the fifth straight in Stanford Stadium from 2009-17. 6 Difference in number of wins from 2016 (four) to 2017 (10), the second-largest turnaround from one season to the next at Notre Dame. The only year that eclipsed it occurred in Ara Parseghian's dramatic debut campaign in 1964, when the Irish finished 9-1 after posting a 2-7 ledger a year earlier. 77,622 The new capacity audience in Notre Dame Stadium after the completion last year of the $400 million-plus Campus Crossroads project that made its debut against Temple Sept. 2. The previous figure was 80,795, dwarf- ing what used to be the standard 59,075 mark prior to the 1997 expansion. QUOTABLE "I would call it just the first coat of paint for where we are. There's another level for us. We'll certainly look at this season and feel it was a good foundation for us to be one step higher next year, to reach higher, for more." Head coach Brian Kelly on improving from 4-8 in 2016 to 9-3 (later 10-3) in the 2017 regular season "Four of the last six we play are in the top 25, and it's emotionally draining. Getting yourself up to those games and being able to perform at your best and preparing men - tally and taking in a new game plan each and every week, knowing the stakes of each game, that definitely wears on you. I think that showed a little bit at the end of the season in guys being tired." Captain and 2017 rover Drue Tranquill on the team's struggles in November "At best, the NCAA's decision in this case centers on a randomness of outcome based solely on how an institution chooses to define its honor code. At worst, it creates an incentive for college and universities to change their honor code to avoid sanctions like that imposed here." Notre Dame president Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. on the NCAA's final decision this February for the Irish to vacate the 21 wins from 2012-13 despite the school self- reporting and taking proactive action against the ineligible athletes PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL 1. Miles Boykin's Late Catch Spurs Citrus Bowl Victory — LSU yielded merely 39 fourth-quarter points during the 2017 regular season, which made Notre Dame's late 15-point flourish even more impressive in the 21-17 conquest. First, a diving Boykin hauled in a 29-yard reception against double coverage to con- vert a third-and-19 and set up Notre Dame's first touchdown of the quarter. Then with the Fighting Irish trailing 17-14, Boykin made a spectacular one-handed grab and then out-muscled and out-ran the Tiger secondary for a 55-yard game- winning touchdown with 1:28 remaining. 2. Shaun Crawford Strip Turns Tide Against Spartans — Notre Dame jumped out to a 21-7 lead at Michigan State, but midway through the second quarter the Spartans mounted a potential scoring drive. Running back LJ Scott broke free up the middle and was inches away from crossing the goal line to take back momentum for the Spar- tans — but cornerback/nickel Crawford stripped the ball from Scott's hands and then pounced on the loose ball in the end zone. The Notre Dame offense responded with a quick five-play touchdown drive that deflated the home crowd and Spartans. 3. Georgia's Davin Bellamy Ends Irish Comeback — Notre Dame and Georgia had a classic back-and-forth battle last September. The Irish went on top 19-17 early in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs took a 20-19 lead with 3:34 remaining. Notre Dame regained possession with 1:57 left, and quarterback Bran- don Wimbush hit receiver Chris Finke on a 17-yard crossing route to get the offense moving to its own 36-yard line. On the ensuing play, outside linebacker Bellamy sacked Wimbush and knocked the ball out. Teammate Lorenzo Carter recovered the fumble to end Notre Dame's comeback attempt. 4. Julian Love Interception Return Sparks Rout Over Wolfpack — Through the first seven games of 2017, North Carolina State quarterback Ryan Finley had yet to throw an interception while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. Notre Dame had Finley off balance all game, but the Wolfpack remained within striking distance while trailing only 21-14 at halftime on the strength of a blocked punt for a touchdown. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Love stepped in front of an errant Finley pass and picked it off. A convoy of Irish players then led him 69 yards down the field for a touchdown that broke the back of the Wolfpack. 5. TE'VON CONEY Strip Sparks Blowout Victory Over Trojans — A lot went right in Notre Dame 49-14 domination of rival USC, but the Irish didn't come out of the gates blazing. The Irish offense had negative yards on the game-opening three- and-out. USC had scored on its opening possession in three of its previous four matchups against Notre Dame, but Coney wasn't going to let history repeat itself. On the first defensive play from scrimmage, he broke into the backfield and ripped the ball out of the hands of quarterback Sam Darnold. Notre Dame answered with a quick three-play touchdown and the rout was on.