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QB Leonard runs for 2 TDs as No. 12 Notre Dame leans on strong defense to beat Georgia Tech 31-13
ATLANTA (AP) Riley Leonard bolstered No. 12 Notre Dame's playoff hopes by rushing for two touchdowns and the Fighting Irish defense was dominant after a slow start in a 31-13 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Jeremiyah Love added a TD run and defensive back Adon Shuler scored on a 36-yard interception return for Notre Dame (6-1). The Fighting Irish held Georgia Tech (5-3) to 64 rushing yards.
Leonard ran for 51 yards as Notre Dame extended its winning streak to five games. Leonard completed 20 of 29 passes for 203 yards with an interception in the game played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. He recovered from a first-quarter interception that helped the Yellow Jackets take a 7-0 lead.
“It’s very easy to get greedy and want to make the explosive play, but throughout my career, I’ve learned that just taking what the defense gives me is what wins ballgames,” Leonard said. “... Settle down, trust your eyes, trust your coaching and you get the job done. And we did a pretty good job with that.”
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said Leonard “came back with the right mindset” after giving up the interception to cornerback Warren Burrell midway through the first quarter.
“He’s confident. ... He’s a confident individual because of the way he prepares. And, you know, he did a great job after that interception leading the offense.”
With Haynes King held out with a shoulder injury, quarterback Zach Pyron was sharp early in his first start for Georgia Tech since his 2022 freshman season.
Pyron completed his first nine passes, including six completions on a touchdown drive. Jamal Haynes' 1-yard scoring run as time expired in the first quarter gave the Yellow Jackets the 7-0 lead. Notre Dame led 31-7 before Pyron's 7-yard touchdown pass to Chase Lane with 33 seconds remaining.
Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said Pyron's effort was “gutsy.”
“The guy is tough as nails,” Key said. “We’ve got to be able to step up around him and complement him and help him.”
Led by Leonard, the Fighting Irish owned the second quarter with nine plays of 10 or more yards. Leonard's first scoring run from the 1 capped a 14-play drive. He added another TD run from the 12, giving the senior 10 rushing scores this season.
Georgia Tech muffed a 39-yard field goal attempt with 11 seconds remaining in the half when David Shanahan dropped the snap. Late in the third quarter, Notre Dame's Bryce Young blocked a 35-yard attempt by Aidan Birr.
“Special teams for three weeks now have not been up to expectations,” Key said.
Leading 21-7, the Fighting Irish faked a punt and Love gained 27 yards to set up Zac Yoakam's 42-yard field goal, the first of his career. Yoakam filled in for Mitch Jeter, who missed the game with a hip injury.
Notre Dame: Defense played the lead role, even after giving up Pyron's 60-yard pass to Abdul Janneh to the Notre Dame 16 late in the third quarter. A third-down sack of Pyron by Rylie Mills set up Young's blocked field goal. Safety Xavier Watts added a fourth-quarter interception, his third of the season.
Georgia Tech: Pyron couldn't maintain the momentum from his strong first quarter, throwing two interceptions and one scoring pass. He completed 20 of 36 passes for 269 yards.
Notre Dame could move up in the Top 25 following the impressive road win over the Yellow Jackets, who were coming off two straight Atlantic Coast Conference wins over Duke and North Carolina.
Notre Dame: Plays in another NFL stadium next Saturday against No. 25 Navy at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Georgia Tech: Returns to its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule when it plays at Virginia Tech next Saturday.
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R. Leonard
13 QB 203 PaYds, INT, 51 RuYds, 2 RuTDs |
|
Z. Pyron
5 QB 269 PaYds, PaTD, 2 INTs, 45 RuYds |
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 23 | 19 |
Rushing | 12 | 5 |
Passing | 11 | 13 |
Penalty | 0 | 1 |
3rd Down Conv | 4-12 | 4-14 |
4th Down Conv | 3-4 | 3-5 |
Total Net Yards | 363 | 333 |
Total Plays | 69 | 67 |
Avg Gain | 5.3 | 5.0 |
Net Yards Rushing | 168 | 64 |
Rush Attempts | 39 | 29 |
Avg Rush Yards | 4.3 | 2.2 |
Yards Passing | 195 | 269 |
Comp. - Att. | 21-30 | 20-38 |
Yards Per Pass | 6.5 | 6.4 |
Penalties - Yards | 5-37 | 5-25 |
Touchdowns | 4 | 2 |
Rushing TDs | 3 | 1 |
Passing TDs | 0 | 1 |
Other | 1 | 0 |
Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 1-0 |
Int. Thrown | 1 | 2 |
Punts - Avg | 2-37.5 | 4-45.0 |
Return Yards | 50 | 31 |
Punts - Returns | 2-14 | 1-4 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 2-36 | 1-27 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
R. Leonard
13 QB
|
R. Leonard | 20/29 | 203 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Sherwood
38 TE
|
D. Sherwood | 1/1 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Price
24 RB
|
J. Price | 8 | 69 | 0 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Leonard
13 QB
|
R. Leonard | 10 | 51 | 2 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Love
4 RB
|
J. Love | 14 | 36 | 1 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Williams
20 RB
|
A. Williams | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Ford
22 RB
|
D. Ford | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Salerno
26 K
|
C. Salerno | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Buchner
26 WR
|
T. Buchner | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
B. Collins
5 WR
|
B. Collins | 8 | 5 | 51 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Greathouse
1 WR
|
J. Greathouse | 3 | 3 | 43 | 0 | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Love
4 RB
|
J. Love | 3 | 3 | 35 | 0 | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Evans
88 TE
|
M. Evans | 5 | 4 | 26 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Mitchell
10 WR
|
K. Mitchell | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Williams
20 RB
|
A. Williams | 3 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Raridon
9 TE
|
E. Raridon | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Thomas
83 WR
|
J. Thomas | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Harrison
2 WR
|
J. Harrison | 3 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 7 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
D. Bowen
34 LB
|
D. Bowen | 5-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Moore
15 CB
|
L. Moore | 4-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Ausberry
4 LB
|
J. Ausberry | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Heard II
2 S
|
R. Heard II | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Watts
0 S
|
X. Watts | 2-2 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Mills
99 DL
|
R. Mills | 2-1 | 1.5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Kiser
24 LB
|
J. Kiser | 2-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Gray
29 CB
|
C. Gray | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Shuler
8 S
|
A. Shuler | 2-1 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Talich
28 S
|
L. Talich | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Clark
1 S
|
J. Clark | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Minich
13 S
|
B. Minich | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Oben
9 DL
|
R. Oben | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Rubio
97 DL
|
G. Rubio | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
H. Cross III
56 DL
|
H. Cross III | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Young
30 DL
|
B. Young | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Viliamu-Asa
27 LB
|
K. Viliamu-Asa | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Sneed
3 LB
|
J. Sneed | 0-2 | 0.5 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
Z. Yoakam
92 K
|
Z. Yoakam | 1/2 | 42 | 4/4 | 7 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. Rendell
16 P
|
J. Rendell | 2 | 37.5 | 0 | 51 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
M. Hurleman 37 CB
|
M. Hurleman | 2 | 7.0 | 12 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Greathouse 1 WR
|
J. Greathouse | 1 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
Z. Pyron
5 QB
|
Z. Pyron | 20/36 | 269 | 1 | 2 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
Z. Pyron
5 QB
|
Z. Pyron | 13 | 45 | 0 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Alexander
27 RB
|
C. Alexander | 5 | 19 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Haynes
11 RB
|
J. Haynes | 8 | 15 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Singleton Jr.
2 WR
|
E. Singleton Jr. | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
A. Janneh Jr.
4 WR
|
A. Janneh Jr. | 3 | 1 | 60 | 0 | 60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Singleton Jr.
2 WR
|
E. Singleton Jr. | 12 | 6 | 59 | 0 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Stockton
87 WR
|
B. Stockton | 3 | 2 | 37 | 0 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Rutherford
8 WR
|
M. Rutherford | 5 | 4 | 32 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Boyd
9 WR
|
A. Boyd | 1 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Hawes
85 TE
|
J. Hawes | 3 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Alexander
27 RB
|
C. Alexander | 3 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Haynes
11 RB
|
J. Haynes | 3 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Lane
7 WR
|
C. Lane | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
I. Canion
13 WR
|
I. Canion | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |