Four years ago this November, Notre Dame football was coming off an incredibly embarrassing loss at Michigan. In it, the Irish saw their College Football Playoff hopes come to a crashing end and entered November at a crossroads of sort.
The next week meant a visit from Virginia Tech, who had won their only previous trip to Notre Dame Stadium back in 2016. Notre Dame seemed in control of things just before halftime but a fumble going in was returned 98-yards for a game-tying touchdown by Virginia Tech to even the game at 14.
Notre Dame’s defense did it’s job in the second half, holding Virginia Tech to just two field goals. The Irish offense was another story though, and not a good one.
Interception, punt, and missed field goal is how Notre Dame fared their first three second half possessions. With 3:19 to play and trailing 20-14, Ian Book went to work on one of his most memorable drives at Notre Dame.
Book completed passes to convert a pair of fourth downs, one of which was a 4th and 10 with just 52 seconds to play. After missing to connect with Chase Claypool with 35 seconds to play, Book and the Irish found themselves facing a 3rd and goal from the Hokies 7 when this happened:
What gets easily forgotten is a John Shannon mis-snap that was handled incredibly well on the extra point to give the Irish the lead and ultimately the win.
This would be the first of 16-straight wins for Book and the Irish. Check out some of the best photos from that memorable affair below!