Booger McFarland declares 'DEFCON 3' for Notre Dame amid first-half struggles vs.
Notre Dame · NavyThe Irish defense struggled mightily against the option offense through two quarters. Navy’s 2-yard rushing touchdown put the Midshipmen at 152 rush yards with 1:57 to play in the first half.
Still, it was tough sledding for Marcus Freeman’s group to start the annual matchup. Still, the Fighting Irish had a 7-6 lead at the two-minute timeout, though the Midshipmen were knocking on the door.
$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage Navy dominated time of possession in the first half, holding the ball for 23:33 while Notre Dame’s offense was only on the field for 6:27.
Two plays after the two-minute timeout, Navy took the lead. Jackson Gutierrez punched in the two-yard run to make it a 13-7 advantage for the Midshipmen.
KEY POINTS
- For reference, Notre Dame’s defense entered Week 9 allowing 96 rush yards per game, which ranked third in the nation.
- Booger McFarland set Notre Dame at DEFCON 3 as the Irish struggled mightily in the first half of Saturday's game against Navy.
- Shortly after Navy took a 13-7 lead over Notre Dame with two minutes to go in the first half, ESPN analyst Booger McFarland set the Fighting Irish at “DEFCON 3” against the upset-minded Midshipmen.
- Shortly after McFarland’s post , Notre Dame had a response from its running game as Nolan James took a 52-yard touchdown to the end zone to put the Irish back on top, 14-13.