Sports

Tunney: Top 5 conference championship games

Michigan is coming off of the best win in the college football season, a 45-23 dismantling of Ohio State. After big plays from quarterback JJ McCarthy and receiver Cornelius Johnson kept the Wolverines in striking distance at halftime, the bruising offensive line opened big holes for Donavan Edwards to sprint the field and ice the game. The Michigan defense stepped up, allowing just three points in the second half in addition to forcing two turnovers against a  vaunted Buckeyes offense. McCarthy was quick to say that the Wolverines “weren’t finished,” in his postgame interview, and they now travel to Indianapolis to face Big Ten West Champion Purdue.

McGinley: Irish defense did not pass go to collect $200 — dual-threats did

Notre Dame football has been a defense-oriented program for most of its history. From the Miami pass breakup in 1988 and the goal line stand in 2012, to this year’s BYU fourth down stop and the Clemson routing that featured both a pick-six and a blocked punt; there have been games won by the Irish defense, sometimes in spite of the offense. 

On the Ground: Maine driver takes on Highway 1, what could go wrong?

What happens when you put a longtime Maine resident in the driver’s seat with a New York passenger on Los Angeles highways? I don’t know. It all happened so fast. 

Irish end first year of Rockwell Era with win

While year one of the Salima Rockwell era hit some bumps along the road, the Notre Dame volleyball squad finished on a high note Friday. They took down Virginia Tech in four sets to finish their season at 10-18 overall and 5-13 in ACC play. The Irish won the first two sets with relative ease, 25-14 and 25-20. After a tight third-set loss, Notre Dame rebounded to win the final set 25-22, clinching their 10th win of the season. 

Pyne flips script, shows capability to dominate despite mistake

All year, Notre Dame junior quarterback Drew Pyne has been judged by virtually everything but the final result. After taking over as the starter, Pyne won eight of his first nine games. He did this without gaudy numbers. Pyne never threw for 300 yards in those nine games. During a three-game winning streak, Pyne completed just 32 of 64 total pass attempts for four touchdowns and two interceptions. On five occasions, the former four-star didn’t eclipse 156 yards passing. He had a pass deflected at the line of scrimmage in every game, and he missed open receivers with underthrows. Yet, with one exception, the Irish kept winning. Pyne seemed to find the clutch gene when he needed it. 

Gameday Gallery: Notre Dame vs. USC

‘Self-inflicted wounds’ lead Irish to 38-27 loss at USC

LOS ANGELES — On a night when they faced college football’s Heisman favorite, Notre Dame football needed perfection and didn't quite attain it, falling to USC 38-27 at the Coliseum. Head coach Marcus Freeman said he was disappointed in the loss, feeling the Irish didn’t play at their best and could have fared better if they did. 

5 key moments in Notre Dame’s loss to No. 6 USC

LOS ANGELES — On Saturday night, Notre Dame witnessed the likely Heisman-clinching brilliance of USC quarterback Caleb Williams. He accounted for four all-purpose touchdowns, and the Trojans offense punted just twice all night. USC toppled the Irish, 38-27, dropping Notre Dame to 8-4. Here are five key moments from the game. 

Irish season ends to Tar Heels in NCAA quarterfinals

On Saturday night, the Notre Dame women’s soccer season came to an end with a 2-0 loss to UNC in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. 

Bertrand ‘sets the standard’ for Irish football

“J.D. Bertrand is the guy that a lot of people will say motivates them to keep going,” senior defensive end Isaiah Foskey said. 

Keys to victory vs USC

Notre Dame concludes their regular season campaign this weekend as they travel to Los Angeles to take on USC. Both teams come in playing some of their best football, after the Trojans dispatched crosstown rival UCLA last week, while the Irish put up a dominant performance in the snow in South Bend. Here are the keys to a fifth-straight Notre Dame victory in the series. 

Observer Staff predicts Notre Dame vs. USC

Notre Dame’s last two wins at USC came in 2012 and 2018, both propelling the Irish into the postseason. 2012’s win boosted the Irish to the BCS National Championship, while the 2018 victory sealed their spot in the College Football Playoff. In 2022, Notre Dame has the chance to nab a third win in their last five tries on the road versus the Trojans. And while this one can't send Notre Dame to the playoffs, it can knock USC out of the race, which is almost as sweet. This one is going to be high-scoring, most likely.

Ladd: Morrison, Irish recruits solidify golden future of Notre Dame football

The future of Notre Dame football is in good hands. True freshman cornerback Benjamin Morrison has had a stunning season this year as a weapon for the defense. Morrison entered relatively unknown. However, he ended up seeing the field in every game and amassing five interceptions so far. His five interceptions are the most for an Irish freshman in at least the past 25 years. His total surpassed current Ravens’ safety Kyle Hamilton’s four in 2019. The five picks are also the most yearly for an Irish player ever since Manti Te’o intercepted seven in 2012. Both of these players go down in Notre Dame football history as some of the greats. Morrison looks like he could be on track to join them. 

College Cup hunting: Irish face storied rival in Elite Eight

Notre Dame women’s soccer will look to advance to its first College Cup since 2010 Saturday night when they take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in South Bend.

History of the rivalry: Irish, Trojans set to battle with major stakes

There’s an argument to be made that Notre Dame-USC football is always appointment television. But when it’s a consensus top-15 matchup featuring a Heisman favorite, two teams with a combined 18-4 record and a Playoff spot on the line, it’s not even an argument. It’s a must-see game. 

Schatz: I’m not loving it — aesthetics behind an inevitable Irish victory over USC

We all know USC is the worst, there is no denying that. But, for the first time in a while, USC has a good chance of beating the Irish. 

Irish gear up to face Bowling Green, St. Bonaventure in Gotham Classic

On Friday night, Notre Dame graduate student guard Dane Goodwin made a three-pointer to push the Irish men’s basketball team past Lipscomb in the game’s final seconds. That win was Notre Dame’s fourth in a span of just nine days, and their second in which the outcome remained in doubt until the final buzzer. For an Irish team whose rotation has included just six players to start the season, this weekend provided some much-needed rest.

Irish fencing starts strong, goes unbeaten at Elite Invitational

Notre Dame fencing picked up where it left off at its opening meet of the season, going undefeated at the University of Pennsylvania’s Elite Invitational Saturday. The Irish went 5-0 in both the men’s and women’s competitions with some standout performances on both sides.

Markezich, Solomon earn All-America honors at cross country national meet

The Notre Dame men’s and women’s cross country teams competed at the NCAA Cross Country Championships this past weekend with the women finishing in seventh place and the men finishing 15th. The women finished with 261 points, and the men finished with 452 points. 

Irish dominate again, head to Goombay Classic

As the Notre Dame women’s basketball team prepares to head to the Bahamas for the Goombay classic, they’re riding high after a dominant 4-0 start. The fourth win came on Sunday afternoon, as the Irish won their third game by 34+ points, dispatching Ball State 95-60. Notre Dame’s closest game to date is a 90-79 victory over Cal, with their other wins coming by 34, 35 and 40 points. Additionally, none of Notre Dame’s opponents have a losing record, combining for a 10-2 record, excluding their games against the Irish. And, perhaps most frightening for upcoming opponents, head coach Niele Ivey said her team is just scratching the surface of their capabilities.