SAN ANTONIO – If everything is bigger in Texas, then the Irish offense was right at home Saturday in a 40-14 win over Washington State here at the Alamodome.
The Irish offense did everything that was expected against a Cougar defense that ranked second to last in the country before Saturday’s game, one of only two teams in the country (Western Kentucky) that allows more than 500 yards a game.
 |
Golden Tate averaged just more than 17 yards per touch against the Cougars, including this catch on a 50-yard touchdown reception.
|
Notre Dame racked up season highs for total yards (592), rushing yards (255), points (40) and first downs (32). The 32 first downs were only four short of single-game program record. The Irish would have set a new standard for first downs if not for the big lead and a more conservative approach to offense in the second half.
"Good teams want to get on top of a team and keep going and going and never look back,” said Irish junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen. “Just keep the foot on the pedal and beat a team as badly as you can. I think we did a good job of that."
Indeed. The offensive onslaught pushed Notre Dame up the national rankings in several categories. It went from No. 15 in total offense to No. 5 at 457.63 and from No. 76 in rushing offense to No. 58 at 147.88 yards per game.
Individually, Clausen was his usual efficient self, competing 81 percent of his passes and throwing touchdowns No. 49 and 50 of his career. His 22 completions leave him just six completions behind Brady Quinn for the single-season record at Notre Dame.
“I know when they were going through growing pains two years ago with a young outfit and (Clausen) being a true freshman, it was tough,” said Washington State head coach Paul Wulff. “Now you watch him grow, he's really turned into a great quarterback.”
The rankings and records are all terrific but Irish head coach Charlie Weis was most pleased Saturday with finally winning convincingly and breaking a streak of six straight games decided by a touchdown or less. For the first time in more than a month, Weis didn’t have to answer questions about last-minute wins and close calls.
“I almost didn't know what to do,” Weis said with a laugh. “It's been so long since we had a game where the game was put away.”
The Irish became bowl eligible Saturday and are 6-2 overall for the first time since 2006. They play host to Navy this weekend in the first of four final regular-season games that will better define the state and direction of this program.
Win out, and Notre Dame will secure a place in a Bowl Championship Series game. Slip up in one, or even two, of these last four games, and the postseason destination will likely be Jacksonville, Fla., for a place in the Gator Bowl.
Plenty of tough games remain, most notably Nov. 14 at Pittsburgh and Nov. 28 at Stanford in the season finale, but Weis likes how his team is situated.
“We've put ourselves in position where good things can happen this year,” Weis said. “And we get to control our own destiny. It's always good when you're not counting on somebody's help to be able to control your own destiny.”
.jpg)
| 