If there were fears about a post-NIU hangover, Notre Dame’s first drive against Purdue may help put them to bed.
Yes, it’s true that the Fighting Irish were also good on their first drive against the Huskies, but context matters — the Irish weren’t going into that game after one of the worst losses in program history. With expectations of a bounce-back game and the pressure of staying alive in the playoff hunt at play, the Irish used two easy short passes from quarterback Riley Leonard to Jayden Harrison and Beaux Collins to get things rolling.
Leonard then ran for 13 yards and the first down. Jeremiyah Love followed an unremarkable 3-yard run with a 48-yard scamper to the end zone to cap off the 5-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. A Mitch Jeter extra-point kick has given the Irish a 7-0 lead in a key game against their in-state rival.
TOUCHDOWN IRISH#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/4F4DR3kBiQ
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 14, 2024
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