QUICK RECAP: Notre Dame wins a thriller in Blacksburg over Virginia Tech, 32-29

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish became a different team on Saturday night against Virginia Tech. The Irish won a thrilling game 32-29 over the Hokies — and it was wild.

Brian Kelly started with Jack Coan at quarterback, but after one quarter of ineffectiveness, Tyler Buchner was brought in for the rest of the game.

While Jack Coan struggled in his first three drives with three 3 and outs and a grand total of 16 yards, Virginia Tech slowly built up a 10 point lead. On their second drive, the Hokies put together an 8 play 80 yard drive that ended with a 7 yard Raheem Blackshear rushing touchdown. The next drive for the Hokies garnered 59 yards and ended with a 19 yard field goal.

Tyler Buchner’s insertion into the game gave life to the Irish and they drove the ball down the field 75 yards in 7 plays. Tyler Buchner got a 3 yard rushing touchdown, but it was a big 46 yard pass play to Kevin Austin that set everything up.

With less than two minutes to go in the half, Notre Dame went 80 yards in under a minute for another touchdown — an 8 yard receiving score from Buchner to Kyren Williams.

The Notre Dame defense collapsed at the end of the first half, and the Hokies put together a short drive to knock in a 52 yard field goal to end the half with Notre Dame up 14-13.

The Hokies went down the field on their first possession of the second half, but the Irish defense was able to hold on third down and Virginia Tech kicked another field goal to go up 16-14.

Notre Dame and Tyler Buchner went three and out on their first 2nd half drive, but when the ND defense came back on the field, TaRiq Bracy stepped in front of a Burmeister pass for an interception. The Irish scored on a short field (29 yards) with a 10 yard rushing touchdown from Kyren Williams that saw him bounce off several would be tacklers.

After stopping the next Hokie drive short, the Irish got the ball back deep in their own territory. That’s when Tyler Buchner threw an interception to Waller that he took back for a touchdown. A failed 2 point attempt made the game 22-21 Virginia Tech.

The turnovers kept happening, and Virginia Tech picked off another Tyler Buchner pass late in the 4th quarter. On third down, Burmeister ran it in for a 19 yard touchdown to put VT up 29-21 with less than 5 minutes to go.

Tyler Buchner was hurt on the interception play, so Jack Coan returned to the field for the next drive. Calmly and smoothly, Coan found Avery Davis several times and ultimately for a touchdown to make it 29-27 VT. Notre Dame went for two to try and tie it up, and after a mad scramble by Jack Coan, Kevin Austin streaked all the way across the other side of the field to pull down a prayer from the running quarterback to tie it up at 29.

Notre Dame forced the Hokies to punt the ball after 8 yards on three plays, and they got the ball back at 25 with 1:56 left in the game. Notre Dame drove it down to the 30 yard line and Jonathan Doerer came in for a 48 yard field goal — which he drained with 17 seconds left in the game.

Tech did nothing with little time. Game over.

More to come on OFD.