Notre dame 40, boston college 7 | monday, NOVEMBER 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Soaring Irish offense, defense, special teams put up dominant win over Eagles on Senior Day
CONNERY McFADDEN | The Observer
Irish senior quarterback Ian Book winds up to throw a pass while his linemen protect the pocket during Notre Dame’s 40-7 victory over Boston College on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Book completed 26 of his 40 pass attempts for 239 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also the team’s leading rusher for the fourth-straight week.
Why Senior Day win over Eagles was infuriating Hayden Adams Associate Sports Editor
It’s not that the offense was incredibly meandering to start the game, putting up only 16 points and needing a questionable defensive pass interference with six seconds remaining to put them in range of their third field goal of the first half. It’s not redshirt freshman quarterback Phil Jurkovec’s apparent obsession with running the ball and refusing to work on his in-game passing. It’s not even the special ’88 throwback uniforms (that looked a lot like the normal uniforms). What was infuriating about the Boston College game is how it served as yet another reminder of the inconsistency of this Notre Dame team, inconsistency that has permeated its play for virtually the entire 2019 season. Starting with the season opener at Louisville, the Irish struggled to stop the Cardinals’ run game and struggled with their own passing game, but first-year Louisville coach Scott Satterfield was junking up the game plan, so I’ll give see ADAMS PAGE 2
By JIMMY WARD Sports Writer
Meeting for the 25th time in rivalry history, Boston College traveled to South Bend on Friday to take on the Irish. Despite getting off to a shaky start in the first half the Irish were easily able to handle the Eagles (5-6, 3-4 ACC) after they came out of the locker room to start the second half. On senior night and with hopes of making a New Year’s Six bowl, the Irish were able to rally and come away with a dominating 40-7 win over Boston College. The Irish offense was slow to warm up and was unable to find the end zone on their first three drives of the game, and junior place kicker Johnathan Doerer was responsible for all the Irish points up until 2:48 remained in the second quarter when the Irish finally found the endzone with a six-yard pass from senior quarterback Ian Book to senior wide receiver Chase Claypool. This was Claypool’s 10th touchdown catch of the season which moved him into a tie for 10th in Notre Dame single-season touchdown receptions with Golden Tate. The last Irish receiver to hit this mark was Will Fuller in 2015. Prior to Book and Claypool’s
touchdown connection, it seemed as if Boston College might have the edge as they led 7-6 over the Irish after redshirt sophomore quarterback Dennis Grosel found the end zone, virtually walking in after the Irish botched their coverage by overcommitting to stop to a handoff. Once the Irish were finally able to get on the board the momentum shifted quickly and the Eagles would not even get close to scoring again. The game, coined the ‘Holy War’ for all intents and purposes by former Secretary of State and Notre Dame alum Condoleezza Rice, wasn’t much of a war or even a battle for that matter at all. If it were, Boston College, clad in their white uniforms, would have been waving white flags long before the final whistle blew. Even though the Irish were able to find the end zone two more times after their first trip to the goal line, Doerer would continue to have himself a statement night. After taking the ball 50 yards into Boston College territory, the Irish would get on the board first with a 47-yard field goal off of Doerer’s foot to put the Irish up 3-0. The Irish would then force a quick three-and-out on the Eagles opening drive. The Irish were then forced to punt on their
next drive but their stout defense stood up to the Eagle’s offense and the ball flipped possessions once more. The Irish offense was able to open up on their third drive of the game, taking the ball 61 yards in 12 plays down to the Boston College 11-yard line, which led to Doerer knocking in his second field goal of the night — a 29-yarder. After this drive the Eagles were finally able to get on the board with the longest possession by any team throughout the game, a 16play, 84 yard drive that took 6:56 off the clock. The Eagles would take a 7-6 lead over the Irish with this drive as Notre Dame had yet to reach the end zone despite piecing together some good drives. After the Eagles touchdown it was all Notre Dame the rest of the way. The Irish would come back onto the field and patiently strike with vengeance. They put together a 15play, 75-yard drive that would end with a six-yard touchdown pass from Book to Claypool. The Irish would kick off to the Eagles with just under three minutes remaining in the first half. Boston College picked up a first down but the Irish forced them to a third-andeight with 1:36 remaining. see VICTORY PAGE 3
Ogundeji tallies dominant performance By JIMMY WARD Sports Writer
Irish senior defensive lineman Adetokunbo Ogundeji didn’t become a starter on the Notre Dame football squad until last year. When Ogundeji enrolled at Notre Dame, he was just 17 years old. And when he finally did become a starter, it was instrumental to the Irish defensive front. In his junior season, Ogundeji recorded 22 tackles, 2 sacks and one forced fumble, one of those sacks coming in Notre Dame’s 3-30 defeat to Clemson in the Cotton Bowl. This season, Ogundeji has only gotten better. Through over just 11 games compared to last season’s 13, Ogundeji has recorded 26 tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Ogundeji bolstered his stats on senior night against Boston College in a big way. He recorded a career high of six tackles — five solo and one assisted — and added on two sacks and one more tackle for a loss. In addition, he forced one fumble; see OGUNDEJI PAGE 3