Notre Dame (9-1) improved their winning streak to eight in a row after a 21 point second quarter showing that ultimately put away the Virginia Cavaliers (5-4). The Irish struggled earlier in the first quarter offensively, but put those woes behind them, helped by a handful of defensive turnovers to blow this game wide open. Notre Dame ended Senior Day with a 35-14 win over the Cavaliers.
The Irish forced four first half turnovers, with the first coming on the opening kick off where senior Max Hurleman recovered the muffed kicked from Virginia’s Chris Tyree . Xavier Watts recovered a fumbled and recorded an interception in the second quarter. True freshman Leonard Moore got in on the action as well recording his second career interception in a Notre Dame uniform.
Despite having two touchdowns called back, Notre Dame’s offense still rattled off 28 points in the first two quarters, which included a three-touchdown performance through the air by senior Riley Leonard in the second quarter. Mitchell Evans , Cooper Flanagan , and Jayden Harrison all caught touchdown passes in the second quarter. Sophomore Jeremiyah Love picked up where he left off, scoring in his 10th consecutive game and the first of touchdown of the night for the Irish. In the 3rd quarter, Love ripped off a 76 yard touchdown run earlier in the 3rd quarter.