Notre Dame 28, Temple 6
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Tommy Rees passed for three touchdowns and a career-high 346 yards as Notre Dame beat Temple, 28-6, in Saturday's college football season opener at Notre Dame Stadium.
Reese, the 2011 starter and a backup last year, completed 16-of-23 passes to top a previous high of 334 yards set in 2010 as the No. 14 Irish piled up 543 total yards.
Notre Dame ignited early, taking only three plays to score, as Rees connected with DaVaris Daniels on a 32-yard touchdown pass, the first scoring reception of his career.
The 77-yard, 86-second drive included Amir Carlisle's 45-yard run on his first Irish carry.
Notre Dame's second possession took only 61 seconds. Rees connected with TJ Jones on a 51-yard pass to the Owl 36. Two plays later, he found Daniels on another 32-yard touchdown strike and a 14-0 lead at the 10:19 mark.
After two short-lived drives, Temple moved deep into Irish territory in the closing minutes of the opening quarter before stalling at the Notre Dame 15. Jim Cooper's field goal from 32 yards went wide.
Irish lineman Stephon Tuitt sacked Temple's Connor Reilly to stop a second quarter drive and Cooper missed on a 43-yard field goal try with 6:27 left in the half.
The Owls broke through Kenny Harper's one-yard touchdown run with 1:01 left in the half, completing a nine-play, 78-yard drive that included two Irish penalties.
Cooper's extra point try was blocked.
Notre Dame replied when Rees combined with Troy Niklas on 66-yard touchdown play for a 21-6 lead with 43 seconds showing. The pass and reception were career records for both.
Reilly opened the second half with another drive inside the Irish 10, but pressure from linebacker Prince Shembo forced a hurried fourth down pass to tight end Chris Boyer that fell incomplete in the end zone.
Notre Dame made it 28-6 late in third quarter on George Atkinson III's two-yard touchdown run, capping a seven-play, 94-yard drive.
Jones had six catches for a career-high 138 yards, while Daniels had three receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Carlisle rushed seven times for 68 yards, while Cam McDaniel carried 12 times for 65 yards.
Reilly was 23-of-46 for 228 yards, with Ryan Alderman his top target, catching four passes for 65 yards. Reilly also rushed 12 times for 65 yards.
NOTES: Temple was the 71st team to visit Notre Dame Stadium since it opened in 1930. The Irish are 58-12-1 in against first-time opponents at home ... The victory was the 200th of Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly's college career. He's 62-17 in four seasons and 3-1 in openers at Notre Dame. ... The Owls will play the Irish twice more, including a 2015 date in Philadelphia and a return to South Bend in 2017. ... Temple has had three conference affiliations in the last three seasons, including the Mid-American (2011), Big East (2012) and now the new American Athletic Conference. ... The Owls host Houston next Saturday, while the Irish travel to No. 17 Michigan.
