Notre Dame Wins Music City Bowl - East Idaho News
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Notre Dame Wins Music City Bowl

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Getty S 011013 Brian%20Kelly?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1420019408279Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) — Notre Dame dropped five of its last six regular season games, but ended the season with a bowl win. Senior kicker Kyle Brindza’s 32-yard field goal as time expired gave the Fighting Irish (8-5) a 31-28 win over Louisiana State University in the Music City Bowl on Tuesday night.

“To leave a program so historic like this in this kind of fashion is great,” Brindza said. “It’s a blessing for me, but also to be able to help win a game for all my teammates is a bigger blessing.”

Brindza had missed six of his last nine field goal attempts as Notre Dame lost its final four games of the regular season. Their rebound in the postseason was due to a strong performance from quarterback Malik Zaire, who was making his debut for the Irish. Zaire threw for the game’s opening touchdown and scored again on a 7-yard run in the second quarter.

LSU (8-5) rallied from a 21-14 halftime deficit to take a 28-21 lead on Leonard Fournette’s 98-yard touchdown run. However, the Irish quickly knotted the score again thanks to C.J. Prosise’s 50-yard scamper. After blocking a Tigers field goal attempt early in the fourth, Notre Dame controlled possession to help set up the game-winning kick.

The game did have some controversy at the end of the first half. LSU’s holder, Brad Kragthorpe, took the snap on a field goal attempt and headed for the end zone but was ruled short. Video review upheld the call, a decision that coach Les Miles was not happy about.

“The guy that carried the ball, forcing it, said he absolutely scored,” Miles said. “Kids will be kids, but this guy’s going to tell the truth.”


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