Notre dame 42, FLORIDA STATE 13 | monday, november 12, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Defend. Check. Notre Dame defense stifles Florida State, offense responds with blistering first half
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush stiff arms a defender during Notre Dame’s 42-13 win over Florida State on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. In his first start and appearance at home since the matchup against Vanderbilt on Sept. 15, Wimbush passed for 130 yards and three touchdowns, as well as rushing for 68 yards on the night.
Irish should be careful diving into QB controversy Charlotte Edmonds Associate Sports Editor
The stars aligned for Brandon Wimbush this week. With junior quarterback Ian Book announced out due to a rib injury against a stumbling Florida State team, space was opened for the senior quarterback to step up and start in potentially his final game in Notre Dame Stadium. But now, where does that leave the Irish? Addressing the media following Saturday’s win over the Seminoles, head coach Brian Kelly teased reporters eager to ask the big question about the quarterback position going forward. “Who says Ian’s the starter … I like Wimbush right now,” Kelly said. When confronted with a follow up question several minutes later, he continued to entertain the controversy, claiming that Book was expected to return but that the starting see EDMONDS PAGE 3
By CHARLIE ORTEGA GUIFARRO Sports Writer
No. 3 Notre Dame routed Florida State 42-13 behind a strong ground game fueled by senior running back Dexter Williams. Williams ran for 202 yards and two scores in an offense led by senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush, who was starting over injured junior quarterback Ian Book. Head coach Brian Kelly said he had three goals coming into the this season: beat Michigan, win every home game and win in November. On Senior Night, the Irish finished the season undefeated at home and checked off the second of the three boxes, as they continue on their way to completing their third and final goal. This undefeated run has been sparked largely by the consistent performance by the running backs. “I talked about how important it was to run the football in November when teams know that you’re going to run the football and exert your will, and I thought we were able to do that today. That had a lot to do with
the final score. We rushed for 365 [yards], so a lot of good things,” Kelly said. The Irish could not have asked for a better start. On the second play of the game, Seminoles redshirt-junior quarterback Deondre Francois passed it to his sophomore tight end Tre’ McKitty but, his pass was deflected by Irish senior linebacker Te’von Coney. Senior safety Nick Coleman caught the deflection before returning the ball to the Seminoles 3-yard line before being tackled down. Following the interception, Wimbush took two plays to find senior wide receiver Miles Boykin in the end zone. Seventyfive seconds into the game, the Irish found themselves up 7-0. The Notre Dame defense then forced a three-and-out and got to work from their own half following a Florida State punt. On the following Irish drive, Wimbush showed his confidence in his arm and his receivers as he threw a deep pass to junior wide receiver Chase Claypool that fell incomplete, followed by a 10-yard catch by Boykin. On third-and-four, the Seminoles called a defensive timeout to prevent the Irish from
getting a first down. The plan worked to no avail, as Wimbush connected with Claypool for a 12-yard gain. A few plays later, Wimbush was hurried by Florida State’s defensive end Brian Burns, but Wimbush found Claypool for a 25-yard gain. The play was ruled a catch but, after further review was overturned and ruled an interception. The Irish retained the ball however, because the Seminoles were called for an offensive pass interference on the play. Once Notre Dame got into the red zone, Wimbush returned to his senior playmakers, connecting with tight end Alizé Mack — who made an impressive effort to keep a foot inbounds and catch the ball while falling on the back pilon. The 6-yard connection put the Irish up 14-0 halfway through the first quarter. The game was played in 27-degree weather — the thirdcoldest Notre Dame home game since 1980 and the secondcoldest game played by Florida State since at least 1969. The Seminoles’ struggles continued into their third drive, as they turned the ball over in their first see DEFENSE PAGE 2
Irish receivers prove to be a threat against FSU By GRANT DelVECCHIO Sports Writer
With all the hype surrounding the breakout season of senior running back Dexter Williams, the Irish receivers proved Saturday against Florida State that they’ve quietly emerged as an integral part of this team’s playoff run. When it was announced on Thursday that junior Ian Book would be out for Notre Dame’s last home game of the season against Florida State, the doubts about how senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush would play after being benched for six weeks came flooding in. Would Wimbush still have trouble getting the ball to his receivers? How would Notre Dame’s offense fair against one of the best rush defenses in the country without a quarterback who can throw the ball consistently? see RECEIVERS PAGE 3