2015 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

Last updated

2015 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish logo.svg
Fiesta Bowl, L 28–44 vs. Ohio State
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 11
Record10–3
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr. (1st season)
Offensive scheme Spread
Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder (2nd season)
Base defense 4–3 multiple
Captains
Home stadium Notre Dame Stadium
Seasons
  2014
2016  
2015 NCAA Division I FBS independents football records
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 11 Notre Dame      10 3  
BYU      9 4  
Army      2 10  
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2015 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They competed as an independent.

Contents

The 2015 Fighting Irish squad was arguably the most explosive offense that Brian Kelly has coached at Notre Dame. During the regular season, the Irish were one of twenty-one schools in the country to average 200 or more passing yards and rushing yards per game. The Irish had fourteen plays of over 50 yards during the season, which ranked 13th in the country and was a school record. They also had two touchdowns of over 90 yards, (a 91-yard touchdown run by C.J. Prosise and a 98-yard touchdown run by Josh Adams). The Irish only had two in the previous 126 years of Notre Dame football. The running game was dominant. The 5.76 yards per carry were fifth in the country. They finished the regular season averaging 34 points per game, including a 62-point effort against UMass, the most points in a game since 1996.

The Irish were defeated by Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl by a score of 44–28.

Before the season

2015 NFL Draft

Transfers out / departures

On May 19, 2015, QB Everett Golson announced he was transferring to the Florida State Seminoles football team to complete his college eligibility. Golson will be able to play immediately as he has graduated from Notre Dame. On June 11, 2015, sophomore defensive end Jhonny Williams announced his transfer from the university. [1] Williams transferred to Toledo. [2] Sophomore defensive end Kolin Hill transferred from the university, and headed to Texas Tech. [3]

Transfers in

Avery Sebastian, a defensive back who previously played for the California Golden Bears, announced he would transfer to Notre Dame in June after he received his degree in May 2015. He would be enrolled in a graduate studies program while exhausting his final season of eligibility. [4]

Coaching changes

The off-season brought a few changes to the coaching staff, as Notre Dame lost three assistant coaches to other opportunities: Kerry Cooks left the coaching staff to take the same position at the University of Oklahoma. [5] Matt LaFleur departed to take the same position for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL, [6] and Tony Alford left the university to take the same position at Ohio State University. [7] Also, outside linebackers coach Bob Elliott moved into an off-the-field coaching role within the program. [8] To replace their losses, Notre Dame welcomed the addition of four new assistant coaches. Mike Sanford Jr. former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Boise State accepted the same position on the coaching staff. [9] Todd Lyght, a former All-American at Notre Dame and cornerbacks coach at Vanderbilt, accepted the same position on the coaching staff. [10] Keith Gilmore, previously the defensive line coach at North Carolina, accepted the same position on the coaching staff. Autry Denson, Notre Dame's all-time leading rusher and running backs coach at the University of South Florida, accepted the same position on the coaching staff. [11]

Recruiting class

Brian Kelly received 24 commitments in his fifth full recruiting class including one five-star, Aliz'e Jones. The class included student-athletes from 13 different states. [12]

US college sports recruiting information for 2015 recruits
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeight40Commit date
Josh Adams
RB
Warrington, Pennsylvania Central Bucks South HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)208 lb (94 kg)Jun 30, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 77
Josh Barajas
LB
Valparaiso, Indiana Andrean HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)215 lb (98 kg)May 30, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Asmar Bilal
LB
Indianapolis, Indiana Ben Davis HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)205 lb (93 kg)Oct 16, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Miles Boykin
WR
Tinley Park, Illinois Providence Catholic HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)220 lb (100 kg)4.41Jul 2, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Nick Coleman
CB
Dayton, Ohio Archbishop Alter HS 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)170 lb (77 kg)Jun 12, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 78
Te'von Coney
LB
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Palm Beach Gardens HS 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)222 lb (101 kg)Oct 23, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Shaun Crawford
CB
Lakewood, Ohio St. Edward High School (Lakewood, OH) 5 ft 9.5 in (1.77 m)170 lb (77 kg)4.50Jun 15, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 82
Micah Dew-Treadway
DE/DT
Bolingbrook, Illinois Bolingbrook HS 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)275 lb (125 kg)Jun 11, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 79
Nicco Fertitta
S
Las Vegas, Nevada Bishop Gorman HS 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)175 lb (79 kg)Jul 17, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 74
Jalen Guyton
WR
Irving, Texas Allen HS 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)190 lb (86 kg)Mar 30, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Tristen Hoge
OC
Pocatello, Idaho Highland HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)276 lb (125 kg)Dec 7, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 83
Aliz'e Jones
TE
Las Vegas, Nevada Bishop Gorman HS 6 ft 4.5 in (1.94 m)218 lb (99 kg)Jan 15, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 5 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 86
Trevor Ruhland
OG
Cary, Illinois Cary-Grove HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)270 lb (120 kg)–-Apr 23, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
C. J. Sanders
WR
Granada Hills, California Notre Dame HS 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)177 lb (80 kg)4.32May 6, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Equanimeous St. Brown
WR
Anaheim, California Servite HS 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg)4.44Feb 4, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 84
Elijah Taylor
DT
Cincinnati, Ohio Moeller HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)285 lb (129 kg)Jun 13, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 79
Brandon Tiassum
DT
Indianapolis, Indiana Park Tudor School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)285 lb (129 kg)Jun 8, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 78
Jerry Tillery
DT
Shreveport, Louisiana Evangel Christian Academy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)308 lb (140 kg)Jun 22, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 81
Bo Wallace
DE/LB
New Orleans, Louisiana John Curtis Christian HS 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)213 lb (97 kg)Oct 12, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 80
Ashton White
CB
Clinton, Maryland Bishop McNamara HS 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)182 lb (83 kg)Jul 2, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 79
Dexter Williams
RB
Orlando, Florida West Orange HS 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)192 lb (87 kg)4.54Nov 1, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 84
Mykelti Williams
S
Indianapolis, Indiana Warren Central HS 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)198 lb (90 kg)Dec 19, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 76
Brandon Wimbush
QB
Hackensack, New Jersey St. Peters Prep School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)205 lb (93 kg)4.65Oct 7, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 4 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 86
Justin Yoon
K
Nashville, Tennessee Milton Academy 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)185 lb (84 kg)Jun 24, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 4 stars.svg     Rivals: 3 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 78
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 7   Rivals: 11   ESPN: 13
  • ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2015 Notre Dame Football Commitment List". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  • "Scout.com Football Recruiting: Notre Dame". Scout.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  • "2015 Player Commitments – Notre Dame". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.

During the season

On television

The 2015 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was featured in the miniseries, A Season With Notre Dame Football on Showtime, which premiered on Tuesday September 8, 2015. It followed Fighting Irish football players and coaches at University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Each episode reviews highlights of every football game played during the current season of Notre Dame football. The series was narrated by actor and Fighting Irish fan Barry Pepper. The tagline was "It's more than just a game."

Personnel

Coaching staff

NamePositionYear at Notre Dame Alma mater (Year)
Brian Kelly Head coach6th Assumption (1982)
Mike Denbrock Associate head coach/wide receivers6th Grand Valley State (1987)
Mike Elston Linebackers/recruiting coordinator6th Michigan (1998)
Harry Hiestand Offensive line/run game coordinator4th East Stroudsburg (1983)
Scott BookerTight ends/special teams coordinator4th Kent State (2003)
Brian VanGorder Defensive coordinator2nd Wayne State (1980)
Mike Sanford Jr. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks1st Boise State (2005)
Autry Denson Running backs1st Notre Dame (1999)
Keith GilmoreDefensive line1st Wayne State (1981)
Todd Lyght Defensive backs1st Notre Dame (1991)
Paul LongoDirector of football strength and conditioning6th Wayne State (1981)

Roster

2015 Roster - und.com

Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

  • 11 Justin Brent – Sophomore
  • 81 Miles BoykinFreshman
  • 2 Chris Brown – Senior
  • 32 Cam Bryan – Senior
  • 3 Amir Carlisle – Graduate Student
  • 87 Keenan Centlivre – Sophomore
  • 27 Chris Finke – Freshman
  • 7 Will FullerJunior
  • 83 Jalen Guyton – Freshman
  • 15 Corey Holmes – Sophomore
  • 37 Omar Hunter – Junior
  • 16 Torii Hunter, Jr. – Junior
  • 20 C. J. ProsiseSenior
  • 88 Corey RobinsonJunior
  • 9 C. J. SandersFreshman
  • 85 Buster Sheridan – Junior
  • 86 Equanimeous St. BrownFreshman
  • 26 Austin Webster – Sophomore

Tight ends

  • 18 Chase Hounshell – Graduate Student
  • 10 Alize JonesFreshman
  • 13 Tyler Luatua – Sophomore Redshirt.svg
  • 80 Durham SmytheJunior Redshirt.svg Injured.svg
  • 89 Ben Suttman – Junior
  • 82 Nic Weishar – Sophomore Redshirt.svg
 

Offensive Lineman

Defensive Lineman

  • 92 Grant Blankenship – Sophomore
  • 55 Jonathan Bonner – Sophomore
  • 75 Daniel Cage – Sophomore
  • 91 Sheldon DaySenior
  • 97 Micah Dew-Treadway – Freshman
  • 95 Marquis Dickerson – Junior
  • 54 Lincoln Feist – Freshman
  • 93 Jay Hayes – Sophomore
  • 94 Jarron Jones – Senior Injured.svg
  • 64 Ryan Kilander – Sophomore
  • 89 Jacob Matuska – Junior
  • 87 Patrick Mazza – Junior
  • 96 Peter Mokwuah – Sophomore
  • 45 Romeo OkwaraSenior
  • 44 Doug Randolph – Junior
  • 90 Isaac RochellJunior
  • 58 Elijah Taylor – Freshman
  • 77 Brandon Tiassum – Freshman
  • 99 Jerry TilleryFreshman
  • 98 Andrew Trumbetti – Sophomore
  • 11 Ishaq WilliamsSenior
 

Linebackers

  • 30 Josh Barajas – Freshman
  • 27 Asmar BilalFreshman
  • 4 Te'von ConeyFreshman
  • 59 Jarrett Grace – Graduate Student
  • 49 Brandon Hutson – Freshman
  • 52 Austin LarkinJunior
  • 48 Greer Martini – Sophomore
  • 5 Nyles MorganSophomore
  • 40 Kier Murphy – Freshman
  • 17 James OnwualuJunior
  • 38 Joe Schmidt – Graduate Student
  • 9 Jaylon SmithJunior
  • 51 Devyn Spruell – Freshman

Cornerbacks

  • 34 Jesse Bongiovi – Junior
  • 12 Devin Butler – Junior
  • 40 Connor Cavalaris – Graduate Student
  • 24 Nick Coleman – Freshman
  • 14 Shaun Crawford – Freshman
  • 41 Matthias FarleyGraduate Student
  • 35 Grant Hammann – Sophomore
  • 36 Cole LukeJunior
  • 6 KeiVarae RussellSenior
  • 21 Nick Watkins – Sophomore
  • 26 Ashton White – Freshman

Safeties

  • 29 Nicky Baratti – Junior
  • 46 Eamon McOsker – Junior
  • 32 Nick Ossello – Graduate Student
  • 39 Drew Recker – Junior
  • 10 Max Redfield – Junior
  • 8 Avery Sebastian – Graduate Student
  • 22 Elijah Shumate – Senior
  • 23 Drue TranquillSophomore Injured.svg
  • 31 John Turner – Senior
  • 18 Mykelti Williams – Freshman
 

Kickers/Punters

  • 43 John Chereson – Junior
  • 85 Tyler Newsome – Freshman Redshirt.svg
  • 85 Jeff Riney – Freshman
  • 19 Justin YoonFreshman Redshirt.svg

Long snappers

  • 40 Kyle Conrad – Freshman
  • 61 Scott DalySenior
  • 99 Hunter Smith – Senior

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 57:30 p.m. Texas No. 11 NBC W 38–380,795
September 123:30 p.m.at Virginia No. 9 ABC W 34–2758,200
September 193:30 p.m.No. 14 Georgia Tech No. 8
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
NBCW 30–2280,795
September 263:30 p.m. UMass No. 6
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
NBCW 62–2780,795
October 38:00 p.m.at No. 12 Clemson No. 6 ABC L 22–2482,415
October 103:30 p.m. Navy No. 15
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
NBCW 41–2480,795
October 177:30 p.m. USC No. 14
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
NBCW 41–3180,795
October 318:00 p.m.at No. 21 Temple No. 9ABCW 24–2069,280
November 712:00 p.m.at Pittsburgh No. 5ABCW 42–3068,400
November 143:30 p.m. Wake Forest No. 4
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
NBCW 28–780,795
November 217:30 p.m.vs. Boston College No. 4 NBCSN W 19–1638,686
November 287:30 p.m.at No. 9 Stanford No. 6 Fox L 36–3851,424
January 1, 20161:00 p.m.vs. No. 7 Ohio State No. 8 ESPN L 28–4471,123

Game summaries

Texas

Texas at Notre Dame
1234Total
Longhorns00303
No. 11 Fighting Irish14314738

Notre Dame would start the year out strong by beating the Texas Longhorns by a score of 38–3. Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire finished the game 19 for 22 for 313 yards and three touchdown passes. The Irish offense outgained Texas 527 to 163 and had 30 first downs compared to the Longhorns who had 8.

Virginia

Notre Dame at Virginia
1234Total
No. 9 Fighting Irish12014834
Cavaliers01401327

While leading 26–14 midway through the third quarter, the Irish would lose their starting Quarterback Malik Zaire to a broken ankle. Virginia would take advantage, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take the lead 27–26 with 1:54 left in the game. Irish backup quarterback DeShone Kizer would then lead Notre Dame on a game-winning drive. Kizer would convert a 4th and 2 with a four-yard run and then three plays later hit William Fuller with a 39-yard touchdown pass with :12 left in the game to seal the win for the Irish. It was reported after the game that Zaire would be out for the remainder of the season.

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech at Notre Dame
1234Total
No. 14 Yellow Jackets0701522
No. 8 Fighting Irish7631430

Despite being ranked higher than Georgia Tech in both the AP and Coach's Polls, Notre Dame would come into the game as underdogs, due to the injury to starting QB Malik Zaire. 19 year old quarterback DeShone Kizer would make his first career start. The result would be an impressive Irish win, 30–22. Despite the score, Notre Dame thoroughly dominated the game. Irish running back C.J. Prosise would score on a 91-yard touchdown run (longest in Notre Dame Stadium history) late in the fourth quarter to put Notre Dame up by a resounding 30–7 score. The Yellow Jackets would make a rally late, but it was too late and Notre Dame would hold on for the win. Kizer would finish 21 for 30 with 242 passing yards, one touchdown pass and an interception. Georgia Tech came into the game averaging 67 points a game and 457 rush yards a game, but the Irish defense would stifle them, holding them to just 216 rush yards and not allowing the Yellow Jackets to convert a third down until the fourth quarter.

UMass

UMass at Notre Dame
1234Total
Minutemen6140727
No. 6 Fighting Irish142120762

Though Notre Dame would have just a 21–20 lead over heavy underdog UMass, the Irish would score 41 consecutive points to put the game out of reach. Notre Dame would accumulate 681 total yards of offense, 457 of it from rushing and would score 62 points. It was the most points the Irish would score since 1996, when they beat Rutgers 62–0.

Clemson

Notre Dame at Clemson
1234Total
No. 6 Fighting Irish3001922
No. 11 Tigers1407324

In a game where Notre Dame did everything it could to lose, they came just a 2-point conversion from sending the game into overtime. Down 21–3, the Irish storm back with three fourth quarter touchdowns, but failed to convert the 2 point conversion with :06 left in the game, and Clemson holds off the furious Irish comeback. Four turnovers and eight dropped passes (one which would've been a touchdown) doomed the Irish.

Navy at Notre Dame
(Rip Miller Trophy)
1234Total
Midshipmen7143024
No. 15 Fighting Irish71714341

USC

USC at Notre Dame
(Jeweled Shillelagh)
1234Total
Trojans10147031
No. 14 Fighting Irish21301741

Looking to get revenge after last years blowout loss to USC, the Irish would respond by defeating the Trojans 41–31. USC would get the ball first and score a touchdown. It was the third consecutive game the Irish allowed an opponent to score an opening drive touchdown. The Irish would return the favor with a 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Deshone Kizer to Will Fuller on their first offensive play of the game to even the score at seven. Later in the first, Notre Dame would block a USC punt and Amir Carlisle would return it for a touchdown. Notre dame would score 21 first quarter points, the most the Irish have scored in the first quarter against USC in the history of the rivalry. After taking a 24–10 lead in the second, the Trojans would score 21 unanswered points to take a 31–24 lead in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Irish would take control and score 17 unanswered points themselves. Deshone Kizer's ten-yard touchdown pass to Corey Robinson would give Notre Dame a 38–31 lead, and put the Irish up for good. The 41 points the Irish scored against USC would be the most since 1977.

Temple

Notre Dame at Temple
1234Total
No. 9 Fighting Irish773724
No. 21 Owls3701020

For this Primetime matchup, the Irish would travel to Philadelphia for a game against the 7–0 Temple Owls. For the first time in Temple school history, the Owls would host a top ranked team while ranked themselves. Despite Temple sporting the 14th best defense in the country, Notre Dame came into this game as double digit favorites. Notre Dame would outgain Temple in yardage 467 to 295, but turnovers and consistent miscues in the red zone by the Irish offense kept the game close. With 4:45 left in the game, and Temple leading 20–17, Irish freshman Quarterback Deshone Kizer would lead Notre Dame on a game-winning drive, finished off with a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Will Fuller. The game was sealed when Irish cornerback KeiVarae Russell intercepted Temple quarterback PJ Walker's pass with 1:09 left in the game. Deshone Kizer would finish the game with 299 passing yards and 143 yards rushing, including a 79-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Pittsburgh

Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
(rivalry)
1234Total
No. 5 Fighting Irish71471442
Panthers30141330

Notre Dame's 12 point win is the largest margin of victory over Pittsburgh since 2005. Up until today, nine out of the last ten games were decided by 8 points or less.

Wake Forest

Wake Forest at Notre Dame
1234Total
Demon Deacons00707
No. 4 Fighting Irish1470728

Freshman running back Josh Adams, who was fourth on the depth chart during the summer, broke off for a Notre Dame record 98 yard rushing touchdown. It was the longest play from scrimmage in the FBS this year and tied for NCAAF record for longest run by a freshman. Despite looking sluggish all day, the Irish were able to keep Wake Forest out of the endzone for the most part and win 28–7. Wake Forest had more passing yards, total yards, first downs and red zone trips than the Irish.

Boston College

Notre Dame vs Boston College
(Holy War / Shamrock Series)
1234Total
Eagles0031316
No. 4 Fighting Irish1006319
  • Date: November 21, 2015
  • Location: Fenway Park
    Boston, MA
  • Game start: 7:43 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 22 minutes
  • Game attendance: 38,686
  • Game weather: Temperature: 42 °F (6 °C) • Weather: Mostly cloudy • Wind: ENE 7 MPH
  • Referee: David Epperley
  • TV announcers (NBCSN): Dan Hicks, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Notre Dame's explosive offense would rack up 447 yards of offense against Boston College's defense, which was the #1 ranked defense in the country. But 5 Notre Dame turnovers kept the game closer than it should have been. Notre Dame's defense would only give up 88 passing yards, but failure to score in the redzone continued for the Irish, which leads the country in red zone turnovers with 15.

Stanford

Notre Dame at Stanford
(Legends Trophy)
1234Total
No. 6 Fighting Irish7139736
No. 9 Cardinal14771038

In arguably one of the best College Football games of the year, a game that had ten lead changes and almost 1,000 yards of offense, Notre Dame's playoff hopes ended as Stanford kicker Conrad Ukropina hit a game-winning field goal as time expired. With 6:48 left in the game, and the Irish trailing 35–29, the Irish marched 88 yards in 15 plays (using up 6:18 of the game clock). The drive was capped off by Irish Quarterback Deshone Kizer's two-yard touchdown run to give Notre Dame the lead with just :30 left in the game. The Irish defense could not hold, however, as Stanford drove 45 yards in just 28 seconds to finish off the game with the win.

The Irish offense accumulated 533 yards of offense, 299 of those yards from rushing. The Irish had three scores of over 62 yards in the game. The first was a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by C.J. Sanders. The second was a Deshone Kizer 73-yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller. And the third was a 62-yard rushing touchdown by Freshman running back Josh Adams. At one point in the second half, the Irish offense was averaging 11.6 yards a play.

The Irish defense left a lot to be desired though as they allowed Stanford's offense to have touchdown drives of 75, 78, 75, 76 and 74. And the most costly, allowing Stanford to get into field goal range with :30 left in the game. Stanford scored five touchdowns in five red zone trips.

Ohio State (Fiesta Bowl)

Notre Dame vs Ohio State
(Fiesta Bowl)
1234Total
No. 8 Fighting Irish0147728
No. 7 Buckeyes14147944

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP 119866151411986549811
Coaches 111110871513109965410912
CFP Not released544688Not released

Post season

Awards

All-Americans

Name AP AFCA FWAA TSN WCFF Athlon CBS ESPN FOX PFW Rivals Scout SI.com USAT
Sheldon Day, DT2222HM1
Will Fuller, RE222222222
Nick Martin, CHM
C. J. Prosise, RBHM
Jaylon Smith, LB11211111111
Ronnie Stanley, OT21111211222
†denotes unanimous selection. NCAA recognizes a selection to all five of the AP, AFCA, FWAA, SN and WCFF 1st teams for unanimous selections and three of five for consensus selections

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. For the first time in school history, Notre Dame opened the season with five losses. Their nine-loss season was also a school record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 UCLA Bruins football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and were coached by Karl Dorrell for the regular season. It was Dorrell's fifth, and final season as the UCLA head coach. UCLA's season was marked by numerous injuries, particularly at quarterback. Original starting quarterback Ben Olson injured his knee early in the season and missed over four games. Backup quarterback Patrick Cowan also suffered a knee injury but returned for two more games before suffering a collapsed lung against Arizona. Coach Karl Dorrell was fired following the loss in the 77th UCLA–USC rivalry football game, the final regular season game for the Bruins. Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker became the interim coach for the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl, in which the Bruins lost to BYU, 17–16. The Bruins finished 6–7 overall, 5–4 in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they were tied for fourth place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. This was Weis's fourth season as Notre Dame's head coach, who entered the season with a 22–15 record, coming off a 3–9 season after posting back-to-back BCS seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notre Dame–USC football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Notre Dame–USC football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team of the University of Notre Dame and USC Trojans football team of the University of Southern California, customarily played on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day when the game is in Los Angeles or on the second or third Saturday of October when the game is in South Bend, Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Michigan Wolverines and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Irish, coached by Lou Holtz, ended the season with 12 wins and no losses, winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and No. 3 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in the Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, by a score of 34–21. The 1988 squad, one of 11 national title squads for the Irish, is considered to be one of the best undefeated teams in the history of college football. The Irish beat the teams which finished the season ranked #2, #4, #5, and #7 in the AP Poll. They also won 10 of 12 games by double digits. The 1988 squad is best remembered for its 31–30 upset of No. 1 ranked Miami, ending their 36-game regular season winning streak. The game is remembered to this day as one of the most memorable games in all of college football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Weis entered his fifth season as head coach with the expectation from the Notre Dame administration that his team would be in position to compete for a BCS Bowl berth. Notre Dame started the first part of the season 4–2, with close losses to Michigan and USC but ended the season with four straight losses, including a second loss to Navy in three years. Weis was fired as head coach the Monday after the Stanford loss at the end of the season. Although Notre Dame was bowl eligible with 6 wins, the University announced on December 4 that the Irish had chosen not to play in a bowl game. Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick hired Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly after a 10-day coaching search.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They competed as an independent.

The 2012 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinal were led by second-year head coach David Shaw. They played their home games at Stanford Stadium and were members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2014 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They compete as an independent.

Malik Jamaal Zaire is an American media personality and former collegiate football quarterback. He currently works for the sports media company Overtime as on-air talent and as a producer, as well as a color commentator for college football games on the CBS Sports Network. He played college football at Notre Dame, before transferring to Florida as a graduate transfer.

The 2015 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinal were led by fifth-year head coach David Shaw. They played their home games at Stanford Stadium and were members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeShone Kizer</span> American football player (born 1996)

DeShone Allen Kizer is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. Kizer served as the Browns' starter during his rookie season, but his tenure lasted only one year after he went winless and led the league in interceptions. Traded to the Green Bay Packers, he spent one season as a backup in 2018 and also held backup roles with the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans. Having never started a game after his first season with the Browns, Kizer lost all 15 of his starts during his time in the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2017 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They competed as an independent. They finished the season 10–3, an impressive turnaround from the season before, where the Irish finished with their worst record since 2007. They were invited to the Citrus Bowl where they defeated LSU. The Irish would finish the season with four wins over teams that finished in the top 25 rankings, including winning three of those by over 20 points or more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by head coach Brian Kelly, who was in his ninth season at Notre Dame, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Fighting Irish competed as an independent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Wimbush</span> American football player (born 1996)

Brandon Wimbush is a former American football quarterback who played for Notre Dame and UCF.

References