Tables turn on Notre Dame, turnovers costing No. 15 Irish in loss at Clemson
Clemson played about as perfectly as Dabo Swinney or Tyler from Spartanburg could have ever hoped in its 31-23 win against No. 15 Notre Dame (7-3) on Saturday. The Tigers did not commit a penalty. Usually a turnover-riddled team, their first giveaway was a fluke dropped pass straight to Irish safety Xavier Watts. And one of the country's lesser red-zone offenses, Clemson turned three trips inside the 20-yard line into two touchdowns and a field goal.
All while Notre Dame had to turn to its third-string center due to injuries, handed over 10 points via turnovers and settled for field goals on its first three trips into scoring range.
Yet Notre Dame had two chances to tie the game in the final minutes, even after four consecutive drives had yielded one first down and 24 total yards. It was down one possession with the ball, in a situation not too dissimilar from the situation in which Sam Hartman concocted a whirlwind, game-winning drive at Duke to end September. Instead of those heroics again, he threw his second interception of the day, his first back in the second quarter returned for a touchdown by Tigers linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Clemson's first genuine mistake of the day then followed, running back Phil Mafah fumbling away a chance to drain the clock.
Hartman could not make the Tigers pay for that regret, throwing four incompletions to seal the loss. Hartman finished 13-of-30 for 146 yards with the two interceptions.
Most of the quality Irish offensive moments came from junior running back Audric Estimé, particularly on two first-half drives that each ended in field goals. Estimé finished with 87 yards on 17 carries, as well as a touchdown to convert Xavier Watts's seventh interception in his last three games.
But none of that matched Mafah, turning a spot start into 186 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Notre Dame missed Mitchell Evans this second half.
Impact receivers are a scarce commodity in college football, but they are non-existent on the Irish roster.
That'll do it.— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) November 4, 2023
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
10:36 — Notre Dame field goal. Spencer Shrader 43 yards. Notre Dame 3, Clemson 0. (7 plays, 50 yards, 4:24)
6:57 — Clemson touchdown. Phil Mafah 41-yard rush. Clemson 7, Notre Dame 3. (1 play, 41 yards, 0:07)
2:08 — Clemson field goal. Jonathan Weitz 21 yards. Clemson 10, Notre Dame 3. (7 plays, 18 yards, 2:26)
Second Quarter
13:34 — Notre Dame field goal. Shrader 30 yards. Clemson 10, Notre Dame 6. (8 plays, 63 yards, 3:34)
9:11 — Clemson touchdown. Tyler Brown 9-yard pass from Cade Klubnik. Weitz point after. Clemson 17, Notre Dame 6. (9 plays, 75 yards, 4:23)
8:33 — Clemson touchdown. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. 28-yard interception return. Weitz point after. Clemson 24, Notre Dame 6.
1:32 — Notre Dame field goal. Shrader 23 yards. Clemson 24, Notre Dame 9. (12 plays, 60 yards, 7:01)
Third Quarter
13:57 — Notre Dame touchdown. Audric Estimé 2-yard rush. Shrader point after. Clemson 24, Notre Dame 16. (1 play, 2 yards, 0:04)
8:08 — Clemson touchdown. Mafah 1-yard rush. Weitz point after. Clemson 31, Notre Dame 16. (11 plays, 75 yards, 5:49)
6:05 — Notre Dame touchdown. Sam Hartman 26-yard rush. Shrader point after. Clemson 31, Notre Dame 23. (4 plays, 74 yards, 1:56)
