Notre Dame Routs Virginia on Senior Day: What We Learned

Notre Dame keeps College Football Playoff hopes alive with blowout win

Nov 16, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman prepares to lead his players onto the field for the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

No. 8 Notre Dame got off to a fast start Saturday, recovering a muffed opening kickoff by Virginia, scoring a quick touchdown, and never looking back against the Cavaliers.

It would go over 20 minutes before it scored again but Notre Dame rallied to stretch the lead to 28-0 by halftime. It would go on to beat Virginia 35-14 on Saturday evening, moving the Irish to 9-1 on the season and that much closer to a College Football Playoff appearance.

What do we make of Notre Dame's blowout win over Virginia on Saturday?

Here are the instant takeaways from the latest senior day drubbing of an ACC foe.

Notre Dame's Dominating Defense

Notre Dame safety Rod Heard II (2) tackles Virginia wide receiver Ethan Davies (26) during a NCAA college football game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame recovered a loose ball on the opening kickoff, scored a few plays later, and for all intents and purposes, the game was over. That's because of Notre Dame's dominating defense that didn't allow Virginia to really get anything going all afternoon.

The Irish forced four first half turnovers of Virginia and the only Cavaliers score game right after it benefited from a horrible call that should have been an incomplete pass.

Notre Dame allowed just 4.5 yards per Virginia pass attempt, had consistent pressure, and did a great job of keeping everything in front of them like we've seen all season.

Special Teams Creativity by Notre Dame

Nov 16, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish Special teams coordinator Marty Biagi celebrates in the first quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame's special teams have taken a step in the right direction in recent weeks as it seems like the aggressiveness has grown. That was on display by Notre Dame special teams coordinator Marty Biagi as he not only ran an all-time fake punt (that was called back), but brought more pressure on Virginia punters again, like we saw last week against Florida State last week.

It seems like there has been a shift in philosophy in what Biagi and Notre Dame are trying to get out of their special teams as the year goes on.

Notre Dame Kicking Woes

All of the above is true about Notre Dame's special teams, but the kicking game continues to struggle. Mitch Jeter still doesn't look healthy, and the Irish missed a pair of field goals.

Could anyone from the Notre Dame soccer team that just saw its season end step in? It's certainly an area that needs vast improvement quickly as tougher competition awaits very soon.

Offensive Lapses for Notre Dame

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) hands the ball off to running back Jeremiyah Love (4) during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame's offensive took advantage of turnovers and made Virginia pay during the game Saturday but had plenty of lapses throughout. Between Virginia's first two turnovers (that resulted in Notre Dame touchdowns), Notre Dame had four-straight series end with three-and-outs.

Now in terms of being in the lead, Notre Dame had that and with its dominating defense was in control, but the offense didn't do much to help up for large chunks of this one.

Awful Officiating All Around

It isn't just the ACC and isn't just Notre Dame but Saturday was an especially awful day by the guys in stripes. Virginia's first touchdown of the game only came because of a huge play that was clearly an incomplete pass, that was ruled the other way.

The flags were endless and largely questionable but simply not understanding the rules is a whole other issue.

On the Virginia punt that Notre Dame signaled for a fair catch on and muffed, the Virginia player caught it out of mid-air. By the purest definition of the fair catch rule, the Notre Dame player has to be allowed to field the punt, meaning a Virginia player can't touch the ball until it first hits the ground - clearly not what happened.

It was awful all around during Notre Dame vs. Virginia, but it is the norm in college football each and every Saturday nationwide.

Notre Dame Football: Another Step Closer to Ultimate Goal

Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27) hypes up the crowd during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend.a / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Parts were great, other parts were bad at best, but altogether its another win in what is now eight-straight for Notre Dame. Not just a College Football Playoff berth remains a real possibility, but the chances of a potential home College Football Playoff game only grow with the win.

It wasn't truly dominant in all three phases but it also didn't have to be.

Notre Dame is now just two wins away from almost certainly getting one more home game this season to open up the 12-team College Football Playoff.

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