Geoffrey Clark’s Game Ball Awards for Notre Dame-Syracuse:
Offensive: Ian Book
Book made the most of his opportunity to become the winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history. He pounced the moment he saw Syracuse’s defense begin to crack. Running for touchdowns and throwing three touchdown passes to top receiver Javon McKinley showed who the focal point of this offense is, as if there was any doubt. What the Irish do from here largely will depend on how much he’s able to continue that success.
Defensive: Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa
Tagovailoa-Amosa really turned the tide of the game when the Irish were nursing a three-point lead in the second quarter. His sack of Rex Culpepper forced a lost fumble, and it really doesn’t matter that the replay review to confirm it took longer than it should have. Who knows what happens if that Syracuse drive keeps going? Oh, and he recovered the fumble the Orange lost on the first possession of the second half.
Next up: Michael Chen’s Game Ball Awards…