Speedy summary: turning points in Wolf Pack vs. Irish game

By: Juan López

Saturday, September 5, 2009 - 8:53 PM

Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd had many game-changing plays in Saturday's 35-0 win over Nevada, including this 88-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Photo by Ricardo Lopez.

Pre-game: Nevada won the coin toss, but deferred to the second half. Giving Notre Dame the ball to start off the game proved to be a bad choice because by the time the Wolf Pack received the opening kickoff in the second half, the game was long over.

First quarter: In Notre Dame’s first possession, the team faced a fourth and one at the Nevada 40-yard line. Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis decided to go for it. As stop here would’ve given the Wolf Pack a major momentum. Notre Dame ran it up the middle with fullback James Aldridge who picked up two yards and a first down. The Irish went on to score a touchdown on the drive, going up 7-0.

First quarter: In the Wolf Pack’s first drive, the offense moved the ball effectively. Sophomore running back Vai Taua rushed the ball four times for 36 yards on the drive, leading Nevada to a scoring opportunity deep inside Notre Dame territory. The drive eventually stalled out and the Wolf Pack had to settle for a 38-yard field goal attempt by first-year kicked Ricky Drake. The rookie pushed the kick wide right, leaving Nevada with no points on the drive and trailing 7-0.

Second quarter: Irish wide receiver Golden Tate catches a deep pass down the left sideline from quarterback Jimmy Clausen. Tate was covered well by Nevada corner Isaiah Frey and was originally ruled out of bounds. The play, if it stood, would have left Notre Dame with a third and eight on its own 24-yard line. The catch was reviewed by the officials and overturned, giving the Irish a first down on the Nevada 40-yard line. Eight plays later, Notre Dame scored its second touchdown of the game, extending its lead to 14-0.

Second quarter: After Wolf Pack punter Brad Langley kicked a 42-yard punt, the Irish started off its drive at its own 21-yard line. With the score 14-0 and its offense just coming off a three and out, a stop here would have been marvelous for the Wolf Pack. The series turned out to be disastrous. On the second-play of the two-play drive, Clausen threw a swing pass to wide receiver Michael Floyd. Floyd got a tremendous blindside block from fellow wideout Golden Tate and did the rest, sprinting 70 yards, untouched, for a touchdown.

Second quarter: Trailing 21-0 late in the second quarter, Nevada knew a touchdown at this point was essential. If the Wolf Pack scored, it would have got the ball back first in the second half and could’ve brought the game even closer. But after driving all the way down to the Irish 19-yard line, Nevada faced a fourth and one. Kaepernick handed off to Taua who ran up the middle but was stuffed for a one-yard loss. The play not only killed any momentum Nevada hoped to achieve, but also gave Notre Dame another chance to get on the board before halftime. The Irish took advantage, putting together a 10-play drive and scoring another touchdown, going into halftime with a 28-0 lead. Game over.

Juan López can be reached at jlopez@nevadasagebrush.com.