Kelly pleads Irish’s playoff case
Blowout provides favorable optics for ‘an improving team’
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In a game in which No. 8 Notre Dame did little wrong in a 55-0 shutout of beleaguered Georgia Tech on Saturday, coach Brian Kelly made a pitch for his team’s postseason aspirations in the College Football Playoff.
“It’s an improving team that continues to do the little things the right way,” Kelly said.
Jack Coan threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns in a little more than a half and the Fighting Irish had two defensive touchdowns for the second time this season in winning their sixth consecutive game since a 24-13 home loss to No. 5 Cincinnati Oct. 2.
Coan, a grad transfer from Wisconsin, completed 15 of 20 passes. He had first-half touchdown strikes of 52 yards to Michael Mayer and 20 yards to Logan Diggs as the Irish took a 45-0 halftime. Coan exited after one series in the third quarter and was replaced by true freshman Tyler Buchner, who ripped off a 68yard run on his first play.
With Coan directing the offense, and the Irish defense hounding Georgia Tech quarterback Jordan Yates all afternoon, Notre Dame improved to 10-1, reaching the 10win level for the fifth consecutive season by outgaining coach Geoff Collins’ Yellow Jackets (3-8) by a 514-224 yardage margin.
“That’s a really good football team,” Collins said “We got outcoached, out-executed and outphysicalled throughout the game.”
The shutout was the first at Notre Dame for first-year defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman and first by the Irish since a 52-0 whitewash of South Florida on Sept. 19 of last season when the Irish reached the College Football Playoff for the second time in three seasons. The Irish have gone three games without allowing a touchdown.
“We’ve been in control of games,” Kelly said. “The quarterback is efficient and pushes the ball down the field, we have one of the best tight ends in college football and an improving running game. This is a really good football team.”
Linebacker Jack Kiser had a 43-yard interception return for a touchdown to give the Irish a 10-0 lead after the first of two field goals by Jonathan Doerer. The Irish then added a nine-yard touchdown run by Kyren Williams, his first of two rushing touchdowns, and Coan’s TD pass to Mayer for a 24-0 lead after the first quarter. Freshman running back Logan Diggs had two touchdowns in the second quarter, the second on a reception from Coan, as Notre Dame opened a 45-0 halftime lead. Grad defensive end Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa returned Yates’ fumble caused by defensive end Isaiah Foskey 70 yards in the third quarter as the Irish led 55-0. Notre Dame had two interception returns for touchdowns in a 41-13 victory over Wisconsin earlier this season.
Yates threw for 96 yards on 14-for28 passing as Foskey and company had six sacks, nine quarterback hurries and forced two fumbles.