Cal quarterback Jack Plummer shared the identical response many Previous Blues most likely felt after Notre Dame escaped with a 24-17 win on Saturday over the Bears within the first assembly between the 2 packages in 55 years.
“We had ‘em, we had ‘em,” Plummer stated. “There’s no cause we shouldn’t have received that sport.”
The result was nonetheless in some way up for grabs on the ultimate snap in entrance of 77,622 followers at Notre Dame Stadium.
Plummer’s “Hail Mary” heave from the Irish 35-yard line was tipped a number of occasions ultimately zone and barely escaped the clutches of Cal extensive receiver Jeremiah Hunter, who was on the bottom, earlier than the ball bounced to the turf.
“Intestine-wrenching,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox known as it. “We had probabilities to win. Too many errors. We wanted one or two extra performs.”
The Bears led 7-0 early within the second quarter, 10-7 at halftime and 17-14 coming into the ultimate interval. However they discovered themselves on their very own 20-yard line with 1:03 to play and no timeouts.
The sport gave the impression to be over when Plummer’s first-down move was picked off by Clarence Lewis. However linebacker JD Bertrand was known as for a focusing on hit on Jaydn Ott, giving the Bears a primary down on the 35.
Six performs later, on third-and-7 from the Irish 29, Plummer fumbled whereas being pressured and cornerback TaRiq Bracy scooped up the ball and dashed the size of the sector for an obvious landing. However a video assessment confirmed Plummer’s proper knee was down earlier than the ball got here unfastened.
So, after the sack and a 10-second run-off of the clock, the Bears had their last shot with 5 seconds left.
“I simply lofted it up, tried to provide the blokes an opportunity down there,” Plummer stated. “We performed them right down to the final play. It was thrilling. If we had scored there, we had been going for 2 and attempt to get out of there.”
Listed here are three takeaways from the sport:
PLUMMER’S BUSY DAY: Plummer threw an 18-yard landing move to extensive receiver J.Michael Sturdivant early within the second quarter to provide Cal its first-ever lead in opposition to Notre Dame in 5 all-time conferences. He then scored on a 1-yard sneak tout the Bears in entrance 17-14 with 4:48 left within the third quarter.
He completed 16-for-37 for 184 yards and a landing with no interceptions. However he was underneath heavy stress all afternoon, was sacked six occasions and accomplished simply considered one of his first 11 makes an attempt of the second half.
The Purdue switch additionally took benefit of the Notre Dame stress on a collection of scrambles to gave the offense life. He had runs of 9, 21, 10, 24 and 16 yards — all of them changing first downs.
“I didn’t anticipate to do this coming in. None of these had been designed quarterback runs — they're all simply scrambles,” Plummer stated. “I feel individuals doubt my athleticism. I’m there to win video games. I’m there to do no matter I’ve obtained to do.”
However Plummer, who accomplished 69 % of his passes in Cal’s first two video games, stated he wanted to be extra correct. “I believed I performed OK,” he stated, “not nice, not unhealthy.”
He actually impressed senior security and teammate Daniel Scott. “Jack performed his butt off to attempt to give the offense as many choices and probabilities as he may,” he stated.
THE PHANTOM OFFSIDES: There have been moments all afternoon impacted by the officiating crew from the Atlantic Coast Convention, none of them extra important than an offsides name made in opposition to Cal within the second quarter whereas the Irish missed a 45-yard subject purpose.
Video replays didn’t present anybody offside and the NBC broadcast crew appeared mystified. Two performs later, Drew Pyne threw a 21-yard landing move to Chris Tyree, tying the rating at 7-7.
Requested about it by the NBC sideline reporter as he walked off the sector at halftime, Wilcox stated, “I’m not going to speak about that.”
In his postgame information convention, Wilcox went no additional than to say, “We’ve obtained to beat penalties. We’ve obtained to seek out methods to get off the sector.”
LOSING THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: Wilcox had no difficulty along with his crew’s effort, calling it “unbelievable.”
The Bears used lots of younger gamers, and Wilcox appreciated what he noticed. “The atmosphere wasn’t too large for any of them,” he stated.
However starting in concerning the center of the second quarter, Notre Dame’s benefit within the trenches turned evident. Particularly, the Irish offensive line dictated the tone of the second half, holding stress off Pyne and paving the way in which for a bodily run sport.
“We got here in realizing they’re a really gifted crew. Their fronts on either side of the ball, I believed that was evident right now,” Wilcox stated. “However we anticipated to return in and win the sport.”