The first half of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl has produced plenty of big plays as Notre Dame leads No.22 LSU, 21-14, at the half.
Freshman running back Leonard Fournette leads the Tigers with 35 rushing yards and two touchdowns, one on a kickoff return. Sophomore quarterback Malik Zaire leads the Irish with 133 total yards and two touchdowns.
Notre Dame came out firing to begin the game with a touchdown drive spanning 15 plays and 66 yards. The Fighting Irish hit the Tigers with a multitude of small but successful plays, ending with a 12-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver William Fuller.
Zaire appeared poised throughout the drive, converting three third downs and a crucial fourth down in LSU territory. Tuesday marked Zaire’s first start of the season after senior Everett Golson started the entire season.
After an LSU three and out, Notre Dame drove back into Tigers territory with a chance at scoring again. Freshman safety Jamal Adams stepped up, however, tackling Zaire for a loss on fourth down.
The Tigers responded from the big play with a touchdown drive to tie the game just before the end of the first quarter. The eight-play drive featured zero passing yards and was capped off by an eight-yard run by freshman running back Leonard Fournette.
The second quarter brought the arrival of Golson, and Notre Dame converted a few first downs before Zaire took over in the red zone. Zaire then scored on a seven-yard touchdown run after faking a jet sweep, giving the Irish the lead with 11:04 left.
The Tigers answered as quickly as possible, as Fournette took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. It was the first LSU kickoff returned for a touchdown since Mo Claiborne did so in 2011.
Notre Dame went right back to work with a drive featuring two more third-down conversions and another touchdown. Sophomore running back Tarean Folston capped the drive with a six-yard run.
LSU finished the half with perhaps the biggest play of the game, failing to score on fake field goal run from junior quarterback Brad Kragthorpe at the goal line. The play went under review, but the officials could not find conclusive evidence to overturn the call.