VICTORY IN ONE HAND
CITRUS BOWL Boykin’s dramatic play late in fourth gives Irish a rare win in January
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. — Notre Dame junior receiver Miles Boykin lived up to coach Brian Kelly’s expectations.
Kelly told Boykin during a practice leading up to the Citrus Bowl against LSU on Monday that he was going to win the MVP trophy.
Boykin, who played at Providence, made not only one of the top plays of this bowl season but one of the more memorable catches in Notre Dame bowl history. He brought in the ball with a dynamic one- handed grab and raced down the sideline for a 55- yard touchdown with 1: 28 left to give the 14thranked Fighting Irish ( 10- 3) a 21- 17 victory over No. 17 LSU ( 9- 4).
The win was the Irish’s first in a New Year’s Day bowl since the 1994 Cotton Bowl against Texas A& M and snaps a nine- game skid in postseason games in January.
“He looked at me like I had two heads,” Kelly said, remembering Boykin’s reaction to his prediction. “But I felt like he had a chance. He’s got the ability, if we could get him the football. And [ quarterback] Ian [ Book] got him the football and Miles made a great individual play and, lo and behold, I’ve got the MVP sitting next to me.”
Boykin had only nine catches for 151 yards and a touchdown coming into the game, but he got his first start after starters Chase Claypool ( shoulder injury) andKevin Stephenson ( suspension) were ruled out.
Boykin showed off hiswide- catch radius on what proved to be the game- winning play. On first- and- 10 from the Irish 45, Book lofted a pass up the right sideline that Boykin was able to snag with his right hand at the LSU 33, eluding corner Donte Jackson. Boykin then broke a tackle attempt by Donte Jackson at the LSU 26 before finding a clear path to the end zone.
“Ian put it in place where only I could reach it,” said Boykin, who finished with three receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. “It was a great pass, and I was just lucky enough to pull it down on one hand. I’ve got pretty big hands.”
LSU coach Ed Orgeron said Boykin made a great grab, but he lamented his defense’s other struggles on the play.
“We had our best cover guy [ Jackson] on him, but he’s a big receiver,” Orgeron said. “We had two guys on him and missed the tackle. That’s what I’mmostly disappointed with.”
Book, a sophomore, entered in the second quarter after Brandon Wimbush struggled. Book was 14for- 19 for 164 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Book’s first touchdown came early in the fourth quarter. With Notre Dame trailing 14- 6, he found Michael Young in the back of the end zone for a six- yard score. Josh Adams then scored on a two- point conversion to tie it. Adams, who came into the game averaging 115.5 yards per game, was held to 44 yards on 15 carries.
“It was an awesome opportunity, such a surrealmoment, that last play with Miles,” Book said. “We knew it was going to be a close game.”
The game lacked drama the first three quarters. It was scoreless until four seconds before the end of the first half, when Justin Yoon’s 46- yard field goal gave Notre Dame a 3- 0 halftime lead.
LSU quarterback Danny Etling was 19- for- 33 for 229 yards and a pair of second- half touchdowns to Derrius Guice. Guice, who was the MVP of last year’s game, had 98 yards on 21 carries.