In a game defined by big plays, the No. 22 LSU football team fell to Notre Dame, 31-28, in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee.
Notre Dame (8-5) began the game quickly with sophomore quarterback Malik Zaire under center for his first start for the Fighting Irish this season. Notre Dame got on the board first with a touchdown drive lasting 15 plays and 66 yards, which was capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver William Fuller.
The Tigers (8-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) responded late in the first quarter with an eight-play drive with no passing yards, and was capped off by an eight-yard run by freshman running back Leonard Fournette.
In the second quarter former starting quarterback Everett Golson came into to lead the Irish into the red-zone before Zaire stepped back in. Zaire scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 11:04 left in the first half.
Fournette broke open on the ensuing kickoff and returned the full-length of the field for a touchdown. Fournette’s kickoff return is the first for an LSU player since since Mo Claiborne returned one against West Virginia 2011.
After Fournette’s kickoff return, Notre Dame responded with another touchdown drive spanning 10 plays and 59 yards to take the lead 21-14 on a six-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Tarean Folston.
The first half ended with the most controversial play of the game. Junior quarterback Brad Kragthorpe appeared to dive into the end-zone on a fake field goal, but Kragthorpe was called short of the end-zone. After a review, the call on the field stood and the Tiger headed into halftime trailing Notre Dame 21-14.
After Notre Dame’s offense dominated the first half, LSU’s offense started off the second half with a bang. On the first play in the second half, Jennings completed a 75-yard pass to freshman wide receiver John Diarse to tie the game at 21-21.
Fournette broke through the tie with an 89-yard touchdown run by finding a hole and outrunning two Irish defenders. With the touchdown run, Fournette broke the LSU single season rushing record for a freshman and became only the second freshman to break the 1,000 yard rushing mark.
Notre Dame responded quickly with a four-play drive spanning 67 yards, which was capped off by a 50-yard rush by junior wide receiver C.J. Prosise. Prosise’s 50-yard touchdown run marked the longest rush by a Notre Dame receiver since the 1990 season.
Senior kicker Kyle Brindza’s extra point was blocked by LSU junior defensive back Tre’Davious White, but the play was nullified after White was called for being offside. Brindza’s second attempt was good, tying the game at 28-28 with 4:15 remaining in the third quarter.
LSU’s sophomore kicker Trent Domingue had an opportunity to break the tie with a field goal from the Notre Dame 40-yard line with 11: 56 remaining in the fourth quarter, but his attempt was blocked by Notre Dame’s sophomore defensive lineman Isaac Rochell.
After taking over on its own 15 yard line with 5:41 minutes remaining, Zaire and Golson alternated at quarterback to orchestrate a game-winning drive that spanned 14 plays and 67 yards. Brindza finished the drive with a 32-yard game winning field goal as time expired.
The Irish were effective in opening up the passing game with their rushing attack against the Tigers’ defense, which finished ranked as the top overall defense in the Southeastern Conference.