Controversial stop gives Notre Dame confidence in win over LSU

BY LaMOND POPE

For the Sun-Times

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — LSU lined up for a field goal in the final seconds of the first half of the Music City Bowl on Tuesday.

It was a fake. Holder Brad Kragthorpe ran with the ball, but he was stopped at Notre Dame’s 1.

A video review followed, but the call stood. It was a key sequence for the Irish in the 31-28 victory.

“I had a number of guys in my ear, take a timeout. And I didn’t want to take a timeout, because I didn’t want to prompt them to go back to the sideline and think about calling a fake. So that’s how smart I am,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly joked. “We were just yelling out, be prepared for the fake. It looked like up on the board he wasn’t in and then of course it was confirmed he wasn’t in, but our guys were kind of tuned in for a potential fake at that time.”

Fuller ties mark

Receiver Will Fuller finished with five catches for 57 yards and one touchdown. He finished the season with 15 touchdown receptions, tying the school’s single-season mark. He now shares the mark with Jeff Samardzija (2005) Rhema McKnight (2006) and Golden Tate (2009).

“That means a lot to me. I’m not really into all the records. I’m just trying to help my team out. I love these guys. I’m just happy we won the game,” Fuller said.

This and that

Leonard Fournette had a monster game for LSU. The back rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score. … C.J. Prosise’s 50-yard touchdown run is the longest rush by a Notre Dame receiver since Raghib Ismail scored on a 76-yard run at Pitt on Oct. 28, 1990.