Notre Dame’s defense stopped Boston College four straight times from the 4-yard line in 1998, and Moment #075 in the 125 Years of Notre Dame Football series replays every snap. With 1:07 left and a touchdown set to give the Eagles the lead, BC had first-and-goal at the Notre Dame 4. Mike Cloud carried on all four downs. Bobbie Howard tackled him at the 2 on first down and again at the goal line on second.
On third down, Cloud tried again, and there was no signal. The broadcast credited the front and the hit that ended the play: “Notre Dame’s defensive line has a good surge, and Friday, what a hit by number 13.” That was Jimmy Friday. On fourth down, Deke Cooper came through untouched and stopped Cloud short of the goal line. The replay breakdown blamed BC’s blocking: “They had an unblocked guy sitting right in the hole.”
- Notre Dame started the series with one timeout and had none left by second down. BC still had two.
- Cooper, wearing number one, came “right off the wing back.”
- The booth’s read on the missed block: “The wing back needed to block down and not out.”
- Before third down, the broadcast raised a quarterback sneak behind BC’s big offensive line as the other option to handing it to Cloud.
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