The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had a successful outing against Central Michigan on Saturday, coming away with a 41-17 win. The Irish were led by quarterback Ian Book, who threw for three touchdown passes and ran for another. The Irish defense also played a key role in the victory, holding Central Michigan to just 17 points.
The Irish offense was firing on all cylinders, as Book completed 23 of 30 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for another score, giving him four total touchdowns on the day. The Irish running game was also effective, with Tony Jones Jr. and Jafar Armstrong both rushing for over 100 yards. The Irish offensive line also did a great job of keeping Book upright, as he was only sacked once.
The Irish defense was also impressive, holding Central Michigan to just 17 points. The defense forced three turnovers and held the Chippewas to just 4.8 yards per play. Linebacker Te’von Coney led the way with eight tackles and two sacks. The secondary also had a strong performance, with cornerback Julian Love recording an interception and safety Alohi Gilman recording seven tackles.
The win over Central Michigan sets up a showdown between Notre Dame and the undefeated Clemson Tigers next week. The Irish will need to continue to play at a high level if they want to have a chance against the Tigers. Quarterback Ian Book will need to continue his strong play, while the defense will need to continue to force turnovers and limit big plays. If the Irish can do that, they have a chance to pull off the upset against the defending national champions.
