The Noles and Irish opened up the 1st quarter going back and fourth with little to no production on the offensive side of the ball. The Irish opened up the scoring as Everett Golson completed a 1yd sideline pass to wide receiver Corey Robinson at the 2:10 mark in the 1st for a touchdown.
Though the Noles had only 3 yard of total offense up to this point, FSU QB Jameis Winston didn’t let it phase him. He led the Noles on a 4 play 65 yard drive to tie the game up at 7 with a 11 yard TD pass to wideout Travis Rudolph.
As the 2nd quarter got underway Golson drove the Irish just outside the red zone looking to take the lead. But on 3rd and 4 from the Noles 22, with Golson looking to complete a sideline pass to Jacob Pugh, he was intercepted, giving FSU the ball with a 1st and 10 at their own 19.
Jameis would throw an interception of his own on the very next play giving possession right back to the Irish at their 31 yard line. It only took Golson 2 plays to punch it in for 6 as he connected again with Robinson to put the Irish back on top 14-7.
Florida State and Notre Dame then exchanged field goals bringing the score to 17-10 at the half with the Irish on top.
Notre Dame was smoking the Noles on the stats sheet at the half, with the Irish accumulating 254 total yards of offense compared to just 111 by Florida State. Everett Golson completed 15 of 16 passes for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air for the Irish. Jameis Winston was 8 for 15 passing for 92 yards and 1 touchdown for the Noles.
Florida State came out of the half with a fire in their eyes. Jameis Winston took the Noles 70 yards down the field in 9 plays to tie the game at 17.
The Irish would strike right back with a score of their own as Everett Golson took his team 83 yards in 7 plays capping off the drive with a 11 yard slant pass to Will Fuller for the score giving Notre Dame the lead back 24-17.
Winston and the Noles answered right back on their next possession to yet again tie the game, this time at 24, after FSU’s Karlos Williams ran it in for a 2 yard touchdown score.
After a Notre Dame field goal in the fourth gave the Irish a 27-24 lead, It was only a matter of time before FSU struck back. It was Williams again coming up big for the Noles with another 2 yard touchdown run to give them a 31-27 lead with just 4:01 left to play in regulation.
As time winded down, the Irish had one final chance to upset the Noles. On fourth and goal at the 2 yard line Golson found Corey Robinson in the endzone for the score. But, a flag was thrown on the play for offensive pass interference.
They replayed the down this time it was fourth and goal at the 18 yard line. As Golson threw to the endzone all eyes in the stadium were on the ball as it landed comfortably in the hands of Florida States Jacob Pughes and it was all over.
The Noles survived and are now one of only 4 undefeated teams in the country. They will rest up as they have an off week before they head up north to Kentucky to face the Louisville Cardinals at Papa Johns Stadium on Thursday October 30th.
