JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In the highest scoring game in Gator Bowl history, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish walked away with a 45-38 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday.
Notre Dame's Tyler Buchner threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores to help offset the two pick-6's he threw.
Buchner got the starting job for the game after Drew Pyne entered the transfer portal following the regular-season finale. He made the most his opportunity throwing for 274 yards and running for 61 yards.
South Carolina (8-5, No. 19 CFP) dominated the opening quarter, building a 21-7 lead, and scoring in all phases. The highlight score of the quarter came when punter Kai Kroger connected with long-snapper Hunter Rogers for a 23-yard touchdown against an Irish defense that completely fell for the gadget play.
Spencer Rattler completed 29 of 44 passes for 246 yards and two touchdown passes, both of which went to Xavier Legette.
Despite the early troubles, the Irish (9-4, No. 21 CFP) clawed its way back to cut the lead to 21-17 before halftime, as Buchner hit Logan Diggs on a electrifying 75-yard touchdown strike with 5:06 remaining before halftime.
The second half turned into a back-and-forth affair, filled with big play after big play by both teams.
Up 38-31, the Irish appeared as if they were about to deliver the knockout blow, but O’Donnell Fortune stepped in front of a slant pass and returned it 100-yards to tie the game up with 7:42 remaining in the game.
But the Irish would respond with a 12-play, 80-yard drive and consume just over six minutes to finally deliver the knockout punch. Buchner would hit a wide open Mitchell Evans on a play action pass for a 16-yard touchdown and a 45-38 lead with 1:38 remaining.
The Gamecocks would get one final chance and drive to the Notre Dame 34, but an intentional grounding and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty would back South Carolina up. Then a desperation heave on fourth down would fall incomplete to secure the win for the Irish.
Notre Dame 7 10 14 14 = 45
So. Carolina 21 3 7 7 = 38
First Quarter SC—Xavier Legette 13 pass from Spencer Rattler (Mitch Jeter kick), 11:48. ND—Tyler Buchner 15 run (Blake Grupe Kick), 5:54. SC—Hunter Rogers 23 pass from Kai Kroeger (Mitch Jeter kick), 2:27. SC—DQ Smith 47 yard interception return (Mitch Jeter Kick), 0:44. Second Quarter ND—Blake Grupe 37 field goal, 8:36. SC—Mitch Jeter 45 field goal, 5:18. ND—Logan Diggs 75 pass from Tyler Buchner (Blake Grupe kick), 5:06. Third Quarter ND—Tyler Buchner 11 run (Blake Grupe kick), 10:28. SC—Xavier Legette 42 pass from Spencer Rattler (Mitch Jeter kick), 8:31. ND—Braden Lenzy 44 pass from Tyler Buchner (Blake Grupe kick), 0:31. Fourth Quarter ND—Logan Diggs 39 run (Blake Grupe kick), 12:41. SC—O'Donnell Fortune 100 interception return (Mitch Jeter kick), 7:42. ND—Mitchell Evans 16 pass from Tyler Buchner (Blake Grupe kick), 1:38.
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