Irish miss out on overtime, stretch loss streak to three

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Freshman quarterback Reggie Bonnafon ran for a pair of touchdowns and threw a 21-yard scoring pass to DeVante Parker to lead No. 24 Louisville to a 31-28 victory over Notre Dame on Saturday, the third consecutive loss for the Fighting Irish.

The Irish had a chance to force overtime but Kyle Brindza missed a 32-yard field goal wide right with 51 seconds left. Brindza missed a field goal in overtime last week in a loss to Northwestern. The Irish scored two touchdowns early in the third quarter, the second set up by a 61-yard punt return by Greg Bryant, to take a 2017 lead.

But the Cardinals answered with the touchdown pass to Parker and a 15-yard run by Brandon Radcliff that he set up with a 41-yard run.

The Cardinals (8-3) kept alive their hopes for a third consecutive season of at least 10 victories. The Irish (7-4), after starting the season 6-0 and being ranked No. 5, have lost four of their past five, and the three consecutive losses is the longest losing streak for the Irish since Brian Kelly’s first season as coach in 2010.

Radcliff rushed for 136 yards as Louisville amassed 229 yards rushing while holding the Irish to 99 yards running. Bonnafon was 8-of31 passing for 180 yards with one interception.

Everett Golson passed for two touchdowns and rallied the Irish from an 11-point deficit to within three points. He drove the Irish down to the 9, but he was sacked for a 6-yard loss with 61 seconds left and then his pass to C.J. Prosise was incomplete.

Golson was 16-of-24 passing for 236 yards and threw his 13th interception of the season. The Irish closed to 31-28 early in the fourth quarter when Golson scrambled for time and threw to Corey Robinson in the end zone. The ball ricocheted off Robinson and Will Fuller caught it for his 14th touchdown of the season.