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Recap: Stanford 17, Notre Dame 13
UHND.com - Joe Brunson
11/26/2001
After dominating for nearly 53 minutes, the Irish found a way to let the game slip-n-slide right by in a rain-soaked Stanford Stadium. Notre Dame’s defense held the Cardinal attack to just three points in that span, before Stanford's offensive line wore down Notre Dame's defensive front as Kenneth Tolon scored on a one-yard sweep with 1:08 to play. Neither team’s quarterbacks played particularly well with Randy Fasani going 8-of-23 for 159 yards and a pick. However, Holiday and Lovecchio managed to play even worse finishing with a mere 47 yards on 1-for-19 passing.
Stanford started the scoring off with a six-play 73-yard drive that was capped off by a 29-yard Mike Biselli field goal. In Stanford’s first drive, they established the run as Tolon shot down the field for a 52-yard scamper. After the each team traded punts, the Irish got on the board with a 47-yard dart from Holiday to Omar Jenkins on 3rd and eight. Notre Dame ran the ball on all six 1st and 10 attempts.
On the first play of the second quarter Julius Jones busted through the Cardinal defense around the left tackle and got into the open for a 59-yard gain. Although noticeably winded, Jones got the ball on the next three plays for a total of seven yards, which forced a Nick Setta 22-yard field goal. After falling behind 10-0, Stanford put together a balanced 61-yard drive before fumbling the pig away on the Irish 19-yard line. From there, Notre Dame was unable to capitalize and gave it back to Stanford after a 3-and –out. Four plays later, Notre Dame caused another turnover. Vontez Duff made a great read on the ball and picked it off giving Notre Dame another chance to make Stanford pay. However, the Irish were knocked out of field goal range after a 15-yard penalty, which forced a punt. During the second quarter, Notre Dame ran the ball 4-of-5 times on first down.
On Notre Dame’s second possession of the second half, they received a boost from Arnaz Battle on 1st and 10 from Stanford’s 46-yard line. Battle got the ball on a reverse and hit a wide-open Holiday for a 17-yard gain. The play may have gone the distance if Battle would have led Holiday, but the conditions of the field seemed to prevent it. Notre Dame could muster only ten yards on their next six plays and settled for a 37-yard field goal from Setta. After a Cardinal punt, Holiday was injured during a nine-yard run. Matt Lovecchio came in to throw consecutive incomplete passes, which led to a Joey Hildbold punt. An eight-yard sack on 3rd and 20 forced a Cardinal punt and gave Notre Dame the ball back on their own 48-yard line. Holiday returned on that possession to throw three incomplete passes in a row. After failing to come close to a receiver, the Irish punted again. Notre Dame had seven first down opportunities in the 3rd quarter and ran on five of them.
The teams traded punts again and Stanford got the better of it as Luke Powell returned the Irish kick 31 yards to the Notre Dame 30-yard line and it looked as if the tide had turned. However, Powell coughed it up on the very next play and the Irish were back in business. Notre Dame managed to take the ball out to the 47-yard line when the drive stalled. Stanford would score on their next two possessions.
On a 3rd and ten play (how many times have we seen this) Fasani hit Nick Sebes for 46 yards. Four plays later, Casey Moore rushed through the right side of the Irish defense for a nine-yard score to cut the lead to three points. Notre Dame gained 15 yards on their next five plays and punted away again. A 13-yard penalty on the Irish and 39 rushing yards later, Tolon would crash through the line for the one-yard go ahead score. Stanford’s offensive horses were blasting through the Irish defense, creating gaping holes for the Cardinal to run through. On the ensuing drive, Lovecchio was intercepted on the first play from scrimmage to end the game.
Notre Dame was able to gain 241 yards on the ground, but was unable to capitalize on several Cardinal mistakes. Overall, Notre Dame ran the ball on 18-of-22 first down attempts. Holiday was way off the target most of the night, but throwing the ball in only long yardage situations, gave Stanford the momentum they needed to pull out the game in the final 7 minutes.