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Notre Dame went on the road, in a hostile environment, against a ranked team and left with a commanding win. That is something special and could be a sign of things to come. The Irish used a strong second half performance to beat Virginia Tech by a score of 45-23. This week was easy for me to focus on three players.
Julian Love
How about a little scoop n’ score for the junior cornerback? That was game changing in the second quarter. Julian Love continues to play at an elite level. He finished the game with that touchdown, as well as an interception and 7 tackles. Julian Love is an all-American cornerback.
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Khalid Kareem
The man who sacked the quarterback and forced the fumble was Khalid Kareem. He was the other half to the game changing play. Kareem is the best pass rusher by far on this Irish team. He has taken a huge step forward this year. This performance was even more important with Daelin Hayes out with injury and Julian Okwara being ejected for targeting.
Dexter Williams
The Dexter Williams that Notre Dame fans have been wanting to see for years is here. A dynamic playmaker touching the ball 20+ times a game. Nothing like a 97 yard to touchdown run to blow the game open. Virginia Tech had some momentum early in the 3rd quarter but Dexter Williams ended that with his dash to the end zone. I remember thinking early in the summer that it might be a blessing in disguise that he was suspended the first four games. Dexter is now healthy for the stretch run. He’s rested and ready while other players are wearing down.
Easy day at the office with 178 yards and 3 touchdowns.
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6-0. Notre Dame is rolling and looking like a playoff team. With that said, I don’t think I have to remind people about the Pittsburgh game in 2012. ND came in a big favorite and was a short field goal away from being upset and having the perfect season ruined.
Let’s hope this years team doesn’t overlook Pittsburgh and takes care of business against a lesser opponent.
Exit Sandman.