The Sports Xchange
Oct 29, 2016
Notre Dame blew a 20-point lead but recovered to beat Miami 30-27 on kicker Justin Yoon's third field goal of the game, a 23-yarder with 31 seconds left on Saturday in South Bend, Ind.
Quarterback DeShone Kizer passed for 263 yards and two touchdowns as the Fighting Irish (3-5) overcame two muffed punts, a successful onside kick by Miami and a partially blocked punt to win for just the second time in their last six games, snapping a home losing streak at three games in the process.
Quarterback Brad Kaaya passed for 288 yards, all over the last three quarters, as the Hurricanes (4-4) lost their fourth in a row.
Notre Dame clinched the win when linebacker Nules Morgan got to Kaaya for its fifth sack of the afternoon on the final play.
The Irish had 17 points before the Hurricanes even had a first down, scoring on wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr.'s 5-yard touchdown reception, Yoon's 37-yard field goal, and Equanimeous St. Brown's 14-yard touchdown reception, all in the first quarter.
Yoon's 26-yard field goal gave the Irish a 20-point cushion early in the second quarter before the Hurricanes scored on Kaaya's 2-yard pass to tight end David Njoku.
The Hurricanes were on the verge of moving into position for another score late in the half before being stopped on a fourth-and-1 at Notre Dame's 34-yard line.
Miami continued its comeback in the second half with running back Mark Walton scoring on a 1-yard rush and Michael Badgley adding field goals of 43 and 38 yards, the latter early in the fourth quarter, for a 20-20 tie.
The Hurricanes took the lead at 27-20 when cornerback Michael Jackson recovered C.J. Sanders' muffed punt in the end zone. The Irish responded with running back Josh Adam's 41-yard touchdown run for a 27-27 deadlock to set the stage for the final possession.