Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Virginia Cavaliers Match Player Stats On Sep 12, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Sep 12, 2015

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Backup quarterback DeShone Kizer tossed a 39-yard touchdown to wide receiver Will Fuller with 12 seconds left to lift No. 9 Notre Dame over Virginia 34-27 Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium.

Starting quarterback Malik Zaire left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury, paving the way for Kizer to help the Irish escape the upset-minded Cavaliers. Coach Brian Kelly said Zaire suffered a broken right ankle and will miss the rest of the season.

The sophomore was injured late in the third quarter when a defender fell on his right ankle during a 3-yard run by Zaire.

Zaire was helped off the field and then taken to the locker room on a cart for X-rays. He completed 7 of 18 attempts for 115 yards and a 59-yard touchdown. He also rushed for 87 yards.

Kizer tossed two touchdowns after entering the game and got help from running back C.J. Prosise who ran for 155 yards on the day.

Virginia quarterback Matt Johns anchored the Cavalier offense as he completed 26 of 38 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Canaan Severin had a career day, catching 11 passes for 153 yards.

Notre Dame (2-0) owned the first quarter as they outgained Virginia (0-2) 154-28 and scored the first 12 points. The Irish scored on their first possession as a perfectly executed fake field goal resulted in a 7-yard touchdown, giving Notre Dame an early 6-0 lead.

Notre Dame added two field goals as the Cavaliers' defense recovered nicely to keep the Irish out of the end zone.

Notre Dame's lead did not last for long, however, as Virginia got into a rhythm in the second quarter.

Sparked by a 38-yard pass play from Johns to Severin, Virginia capped an impressive drive as Johns found Evan Butts on a 2-yard pass play to cut the Irish lead to six. Johns and the Cavalier offense opened up the playbook and used a little trickery to allow Johns to find wide receiver Keeon Johnson on a 42-yard touchdown. That gave the Cavaliers their first lead, 14-12, with 3:04 to play in the half.

That was the halftime score as Notre Dame trailed but outgained Virginia 210-164. Johns completed 10 of 11 pass attempts in the half for 139 yards while Zaire struggled through the air, completing 5 of 13 passes for 38 yards.

The Irish got the bulk of their first-half yardage on the ground from Prosise who ran for 107 yards on 11 carries.

NOTES: Notre Dame held Texas to 163 yards the previous week, the fewest they had allowed since holding Washington to 124 yards in 2008. ... This was the first matchup between the two teams since 1989. ... Notre Dame running back Tarean Folston is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee last week against Texas. ... WR Canaan Severin's five catches in the first half marked a career high.