Lilly’s Dawg Blog
Dawgs 23- Notre Dame 17
The Dawgs got a big win on Saturday beating a good, much better than I expected, Notre Dame team. The game was close until the end, and I admit I was worried when the Irish were driving with a chance to win on the last drive of the game. The game set a record for the most people to watch a game in Dooley Field Sandford Stadium at over 93,000 in attendance. Everybody I have spoken with said the atmosphere was unbelievable and that the Notre Dame fans were great people. I hate that I was not in attendance for this game
I need to make a confession. I did not think Notre Dame was very good, and I thought the Dawgs would run all over them to win by over 21 points. I was wrong! The Irish are a good team and well-coached by Brian Kelly. The team had more speed than I thought they would and more fight than the Irish teams over the last few years. They stood up to both of our lines and held their own until UGA finally wore them down in the third quarter.
Another confession. I did not think Ian Book was a top quarterback in the nation and would not perform well against the Dawgs defense. Well, 29/47 passing with 275 yards 2 TD’s and 18 yards rushing later I was bad wrong. The kid is a player! All week I heard that book had to play a perfect game to win, and I feel he did just that in leading his team to a chance for a win on the last drive of the game.
Cole Kmet # 84 had a fantastic game receiving. I was yelling at the TV, as usual, “can we not cover this guy just one dang time?” The 6’5” tight end ate our secondaries lunch in the first half and finished with 9 receptions, 108 yards receiving 1 TD, and an average of 12 yards per catch. This young man was more evidence that the Irish were much better than I gave than any credit for coming into the game.
The Dawgs got an outstanding performance from grad transfer Lawrence Cager at wide receiver on Saturday night. The senior had 5 receptions for 82 yards, 1 TD, and an average of 16.4 per catch. The Dawg nations can thank the mess that is the University of Miami football for this talented player now making plays for the Dawgs. I am glad he picked us for his last year of eligibility over other pass minded programs in the nation.
In the end, the Dawgs relied, once again, on Jake Fromm to lead the team to victory. He played a great game going 20/26 with 187 yards passing, 15 yards rushing, 1 TD, and no interceptions. I could not have been prouder, and I could not have been more confident in Jake even when the first half did not go that well for the team. I have resigned myself to the fact that Jake will not be with the Dawgs next year. So, I am for dang sure going to enjoying watching him do his thing the rest of the season.
The Dawgs will be off this weekend. That means really bad news for the Tennessee Vols! Two weeks to prepare and two weeks to work on errors in the Irish game means Knoxville will not hear that sorry Rocky Top song much on October 5th. The Vols have been bad this year, but I can’t enjoy their misery due to several cherished friendships at my church. I have not said a word to these friends about the state of Tennessee football. In the past, I would be having a great time making fun of the two-mascot ugly color uniform team. But the fact that I am able to feel one ounce of sympathy for the Vols shows there for sure is a God, and He can change even the most obnoxious Dawgs heart. Dawgs win big, and I don’t say a word about the game at church next week.