If BCS pollsters and pundits were looking for style points, Notre Dame finally offered some up on Saturday.
The Irish took a commanding 28-0 lead into halftime, with redshirt freshman quarterback Everett Golson lighting up the Demon Deacons for 317 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-25 passing. His lone blemish was an interception in the end zone on an ill-advised throw to Robby Toma.
Three Notre Dame seniors scored on Senior Day — Cierre Wood on a 68-yard touchdown run, Tyler Eifert on a 2-yard TD catch, and John Goodman on a 50-yard TD catch — before Golson hit a wide-open junior T.J. Jones for a 34-yard touchdown pass after the Deacons bit on Golson’s pump fake.
Wood had 104 yards on just nine carries, his third 100-yard game of the season. Jones had five catches for 84 yards, while Eifert had four catches for 69 yards. The Irish outgained the Deacons 430-113 in the half.
The Irish added a 25-yard Kyle Brindza field goal with 1:34 to go in the half.