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ATLANTA — The longest pass play of the Notre Dame season is a bit of a paradox. The Irish don’t really do long pass plays.
Notre Dame is 102nd nationally in passing offense, worst by far of this season’s 12 College Football Playoff teams. The 194 passing yards per game are also worst for Notre Dame since the 2017 Fighting Irish squad had Malik Zaire slingin’ the rock.
But the passing game, the playoff and the season — perhaps a national championship season — may have turned on one explosive play in the Orange Bowl semifinal against Penn State.
Irish receiver Jaden Greathouse lined up against cornerback Cam Miller. At the snap, Miller went down as if he’d been tasered.
“I definitely take the credit for him falling on that one,” Greathouse said gleefully.
That left the sophomore receiver wide open down the right sideline with his team trailing 24-17 with 4 ½ minutes left. Quarterback Riley Leonard perhaps has never had an easier throw, hitting Greathouse in stride for a season-long 54-yard score.
To get to the end zone, Greathouse then threw a rec league head fake on Penn State safety Jalen Reed. Down went Reed as well, ankles and hopes broken.
Seconds later, the game was tied in a game that would conclude in a 3-point Notre Dame victory. This Irish football fable continued.
All of it must be addressed in proper context prior to Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship without diving into a vat of cliches about leprechauns and echoes and Rudys.
“I don’t believe in ghosts,” Irish coach Marcus Freeman said at Saturday’s media day. “I believe in God.”
The enduring reality? Well, it’s complicated — and inspiring.
The underdog Irish have a shot against Ohio State, though you may not have…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/pluck-luck-and-maybe-ghosts-notre-dames-complex-path-to-stunning-ohio-state-in-national-championship-game/
Author : Dennis Dodd
Publish date : 2025-01-18 19:52:00
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