On this Oct. 20, 2012, photograph, Irish linebacker Manti Te’o reacts to a play throughout the Notre Dame’s in opposition to BYU in South Bend, Ind. The Preventing Irish beat the Cougars that day, 17-14, on their technique to reaching the nationwide championship sport. Joe Raymond, Related Press
BYU’s Cody Hoffman, left, and teammate #Ross Apo have a good time a landing as BYU and Notre Dame play Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 in South Bend, Ind. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Notre Dame’s Theo Riddick (6) breaks out for a great run as BYU and Notre Dame play Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 in South Bend. Ind. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Be aware: This story is a part of the Deseret Information sports activities workforce’s Flashback Friday sequence, which revisits memorable moments involving Utah groups.
Notre Dame is synonymous with faculty soccer — the pageantry of the sport comes full circle within the Preventing Irish’s house of South Bend, Indiana.
The college claims 11 nationwide championships within the sport, and a decade in the past, Notre Dame almost added one other trophy to its case.
The Preventing Irish’s nationwide title chase in 2012 — which got here up quick, as they misplaced to Alabama within the nationwide championship sport — was a aspect story in a brand new Netflix documentary, launched earlier this week, that revisits the Manti Te’o catfishing saga.
Te’o, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who visited BYU throughout his recruiting course of, was a star linebacker for the Irish for 4 years, and in 2012, he completed second within the Heisman Trophy voting.
That yr, he helped Notre Dame go undefeated throughout the common season, organising the title-game showdown with Alabama.
BYU was one among a number of groups who had an opportunity to derail that 2012 season — there’s even a quick clip within the Netflix documentary of the Cougars taking part in the Preventing Irish in mid-October that yr — however Te’o and Notre Dame discovered a technique to preserve their profitable streak alive.
How shut had been the Cougars to springing the upset?
BYU misplaced to Notre Dame 17-14 in a midyear matchup, and the Cougars led for over 23 minutes in that sport.
The very fact it was a detailed contest wasn’t unusual: Notre Dame had already gained three video games that yr by single digits and needed to beat Pittsburgh two weeks later in triple additional time.
BYU, in the meantime, entered the sport with three losses, two of which got here by a complete of 4 factors in falling to Utah and Boise State. 4 of the Cougars’ 5 losses that yr had been by six factors or fewer.
Te’o had an enormous sport, ending with 10 tackles, a half sack and an interception on the Cougars’ first drive.
BYU took the lead, although, by breaking Notre Dame’s streak of 17 straight quarters of not permitting its opponent to attain an offensive landing.
The Cougars scored two touchdowns simply over two minutes aside within the second quarter — each on quick TD receptions, the second arrange by a Kyle Van Noy interception — and BYU led 14-7 on the half.
“They scored two touchdowns in opposition to us,” Te’o stated in a Deseret Information story recapping the sport. “It made us mad.”
BYU’s Cody Hoffman, left, and teammate #Ross Apo have a good time a landing as BYU and Notre Dame play Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 in South Bend, Ind.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Each groups had failed scoring alternatives — Notre Dame missed two area targets and BYU missed one, although the Cougars’ miss was significantly damaging. BYU had an opportunity to construct a two-score lead within the third quarter however got here up emptyhanded on a third-quarter drive deep into Notre Dame territory.
The Preventing Irish, who scored the sport’s first landing late within the first quarter, finally regained the lead, utilizing a brief area aim and a TD run with slightly below 13 minutes to play to return in entrance, 17-14.
On BYU’s ensuing drive after Notre Dame went up three, the Cougars drove into Preventing Irish territory, however quarterback Riley Nelson misfired on a go to a large open Cody Hoffman on a drive that finally led to a punt.
“Right here we're, taking part in in opposition to prime 10 groups and we’re with them within the fourth quarter and we simply can’t appear to shut. That’s means worse than getting blown out,” Nelson stated postgame.
It was the Cougars’ final strong probability to earn the win, as Notre Dame drained almost the remainder of the clock on a nine-play drive that ate up virtually six minutes of the time.
BYU was usually stout in opposition to the run that season — the Cougars completed the yr No. 2 nationally in rush protection — however gave up 270 yards on the bottom to the Preventing Irish.
Theo Riddick ran for a career-best 143 yards and teammate Cierre Wooden added 114 yards, whereas George Atkinson III scored the go-ahead landing. Riddick broke off runs of 55 and 19 yards on the Preventing Irish’s two second-half scoring drives.
Notre Dame’s Theo Riddick (6) breaks out for a great run as BYU and Notre Dame play Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 in South Bend. Ind.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
For BYU, the trouble was shut, however not sufficient to snap the streak for Te’o and Notre Dame.
“We had an awesome probability — quite a few probabilities — to drag off an upset,” then-BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall stated. “However finally we didn’t make a vital play right here or there proper down the stretch to win the sport.”
Quick ahead 10 years, and the 2 groups are assembly once more this season, this time in a neutral-site sport on Oct. 8. The Preventing Irish enter the yr as a prime 5 program, whereas BYU has excessive expectations, as properly, coming off two straight double-digit win seasons.
Can the Cougars spring the upset this time?