Notre Dame ended its regular season this weekend as one of the hottest teams in all of college football, if not the hottest. The Irish were once again led by senior quarterback Ian Book, who was playing in his final home game at Notre Dame Stadium.
It went well for the senior, much as his entire season has gone. The Irish squared up against the Syracuse Orange on Saturday afternoon, winning the game 45-21.
Book accounted for five of his team’s six touchdowns, three of which came through the air. It was his 30th win as a starter, the most in Notre Dame history.
Book’s final stat line in what was his final regular-season game with Notre Dame was 24-of-37, 285 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception through the air. He added 53 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to complete his monster game.
It was his third-highest passing yards total of the season, behind his 310-yard outing against Clemson and his 312-yard outing against Pittsburgh. Saturday’s game was also the first time he scored five touchdowns in one game this year. He accounted for four touchdowns against Boston College.
Another Strong Outing for Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish currently rank No. 2 in all of college football, but they could easily be some people’s No. 1 choice this year. They’ve now won 16 straight games (10 of which came this season) and are on a 24-game home win streak.
The Irish are 43-6 over the past four years. There’s no doubt they’re one of college football’s elite teams right now.
Their victory over Syracuse didn’t do much to prove that, especially since the Orange are just 1-10 this year.
It was still a strong outing that saw two Notre Dame running backs crack the 100-yard mark. Kyren Williams (110 yards) and Chris Tyree (109 yards) ran the ball effectively, including a 94-yard touchdown run by Tyree in the fourth quarter. As a team, the Irish ran for 283 yards.
Javon McKinley led the Fighting Irish in receiving with 111 yards on seven receptions. Daelin Hayes added an interception on defense, and the Irish forced four fumbles as a team.
It should be noted, however, that Notre Dame allowed two Syracuse players to rush for over 100 yards and only totaled one sack as a team. It was a strong outing, but the Irish certainly had areas they can improve upon heading into their next matchup, which is a big one.
Who’s Next On Their Schedule?
The Fighting Irish have the No. 4 Clemson Tigers on their schedule next. It’s the ACC Championship Game, and it’s set to be an exciting matchup between two of college football’s most dominant teams.
The two have already met once this season. Notre Dame got the better of Clemson, winning 47-40 in double overtime.
It was the Tigers’ lone loss of the season, so you know they’re going to want sweet revenge heading into the College Football Playoff.
Both teams have more than enough time to prepare, with the game scheduled for Dec. 19. It’ll be played in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. It starts at 4 pm ET and will be televised on ABC.
For picks on that and other games, check out our college football picks page.