Pitt vs. Notre Dame game balls
Coming off a bye week following an impressive and perhaps a season-saving 28-point win over No. 10 USC on Oct. 14, Notre Dame methodically dominated Pitt on Saturday in a 58-7 rout of the Panthers.
It marked a fourth straight win for Notre Dame in this series and its seventh victory in the last eight meetings.
The blowout win provided plenty of options to pass out game balls. Here are the three most deserving.
Wide receiver/returner Chris Tyree
The Irish senior enjoyed a great game with 3 catches for 62 yards on 3 targets and added a nifty 82-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter when he broke at least five tackles and helped Notre Dame to a 7-0 lead.
It was Tyree’s first punt return for a touchdown in his career. He has one kickoff return in his career for a score.
The highlight of Tyree’s day as a wide receiver came in the first quarter when on a 2nd-and-17, the Irish speedster made a highlight-reel over-the-shoulder catch while blanketed by two Pitt defenders for 47 yards.
Safety Xavier Watts
On the heels of his career game in a 48-20 win over USC on Oct. 14 — when the Irish senior recorded 2 interceptions, 7 tackles, and a late scoop-and-score touchdown off a fumble recovery — Watts picked up where he left off Saturday against Pitt when he posted 3 tackles, 1 for loss, with 2 more interceptions.
Playing mainly as a single-high safety, Watts was essentially a center-fielder in the Irish defense when he secured his pair of easy pickoffs.
Watts’ 2 interceptions against Pitt were his third and fourth in just the last two games and lifted him to 6 for the season, which at press time, led all FBS players.
Tailback Audric Estimè
The Irish junior set an emphatic early tone in the Notre Dame running game against Pitt, recording 10 carries for 67 yards with 1 rushing touchdown in the first half while Notre Dame built an impressive 17-0 lead. The bruising tailback didn’t miss a beat in the second half, finishing the game with 19 carries for 114 yards and 3 touchdowns, the first 3 rushing touchdown game of his career.
In Notre Dame’s seven wins this season, Estimè is averaging 101.4 rushing yards per game, while he managed only 45.0 yards per outing in its two losses.
