What they’re saying about Notre Dame’s 41-24 win against Syracuse
Notre Dame made it two wins in a row after it beat Syracuse 41-24 on Saturday afternoon and improved to 5-3 on the season ahead of a clash with Clemson Nov. 5.
In this article, we’ll take a look around at what the media is saying about Notre Dame’s triumph against Syracuse, including Blue & Gold’s Mike Singer and Todd Burlage giving their instant reaction in a postgame YouTube live show.
Make sure to subscribe to the Blue & Gold YouTube channel here and tune in to The Mike Goolsby Show, which will be live on the page at 7 p.m. ET Sunday.
Patrick Engel, Blue & Gold: For better or worse, Notre Dame’s winning formula is what it showed vs. Syracuse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Marcus Freeman, standing behind a dais in a JMA Wireless Dome closet masquerading as an interview room, forgot home many points Notre Dame scored in the game that ended not 30 minutes prior. But he knew it was a lot.
“We scored, I don’t know how many points,” Freeman began, before being informed of the total.
“If we can score 41 points the way we just did it,” Freeman said, “we’re going to continue to do that.”
Technically, Notre Dame’s offense scored only 34, but that won’t change his thinking. Because in a way, he doesn’t have a choice. The method by which Notre Dame beat No. 16 Syracuse 41-24 is who they are, for better or worse. If Notre Dame is going to win – especially by three scores – this is probably what it has to look like.
What is that method? Allow one of the lead actors to describe it.
“We’re going to run at you,” sophomore running back Audric Estime said. “You’re going to have to stop us. If you’re not stopping us, we’re going to do it until the game is over.”
Tyler Horka, Blue & Gold: How two Notre Dame INTs helped the Irish beat No. 16 Syracuse
Notre Dame needed a change in fortunes in the worst way.
Syracuse had the ball, and the Orange also had all the momentum. Once trailing 24-7, ‘Cuse stormed back to get within a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter. The Irish offense, meanwhile, was reeling having not picked up a first down since there were over nine minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Syracuse had a new quarterback in the game. Syracuse had new life.
Until it didn’t.
Backup QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson backed into a clean pocket from the Syracuse 40. He set and fired rather quickly, looking for a receiver running a post over the bottom of the big, orange “S” at midfield of the JMA Dome.
He must not have thought Notre Dame defensive tackle Howard Cross III – all 6-0 7/8 of him – could get his hand up and tip his bullet of a pass. If that was the case, he thought wrong.
Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune: These Irish look and feel and play their best far from Indiana
Keep that blue and gold 18-wheeler that hauls the Notre Dame football gear around the country from game to game and back home again packed up and gassed and ready to roll at a moment’s notice.
Allow the Irish to return home for a few days during the week to go to class, to practice, to meetings, to watch film and then send them back out. Stay in a hotel somewhere around the Bend. Hop a charter flight out of South Bend International Airport, circle the Northern Indiana countryside, then land back at SBN and convince them that they’re at another road game from here until December.
Talk to Clemson and then Boston College and lobby hard to see if it’s not too late to flip those two final home games remaining on the Notre Dame schedule and make them road contests. Go play in South Carolina. Go play in New England. If impossible, then convince the Irish that they’re the visiting team — in their home stadium.
There’s something about this team that’s way different than the one that has played four rather lackluster games at Notre Dame Stadium. This one seems to embrace everything about being away from home. The flight. The hotel. The visiting fans. The challenge.
Oh, and the wins.
Syracuse.com, Emily Leiker: Syracuse drops first home game, giving up its most points all season in 41-24 loss to Notre Dame
Syracuse, N.Y. — After backup quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson gave Syracuse football a glimmer of hope in the third quarter, everything came crashing down in the fourth.
Garrett Shrader was out of the game with an unknown injury. Del Rio-Wilson reignited the Orange, pulling it to within one score of the Irish. The SU defense had held Notre Dame to only one field goal, forcing three-and-outs on two-consecutive drives.
But Del Rio-Wilson threw an interception on a tipped ball, giving the Irish possession at its own 46-yard line. It punched in a score just 3:43 later before Syracuse’s offense was back on the field.
SU went three-and-out.
Then the coaching staff made a switch at punter, sending in James Williams for the first time after Max Von Marburg had whiffed his previous punt. The switch did no good, as Williams’ kick was blocked, picked up and returned to the Syracuse 2-yard line.
All Notre Dame had to do to put another touchdown on the board was punch it in. Audric Estime did so handily.
That’s how No. 16 Syracuse lost its first home game of the season, 41-24 against Notre Dame on Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome. The sell-out crowd began clearing out with just under 8 minutes in the game when only a few drives before it had been raucous watching Del Rio-Wilson play his first significant minutes this season.
