2014 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

2014 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football

Music City Bowl champion
Music City Bowl, W 31–28 vs. LSU
Conference	Independent
2014 record	8–5
Head coach	Brian Kelly (5th year)
Offensive coordinator	Mike Denbrock (1st as coordinator; 5th overall year)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Brian VanGorder (1st year)
Base defense	3–4 multiple
Captain	Cam McDaniel
Captain	Nick Martin
Captain	Austin Collinsworth
Captain	Sheldon Day
Home stadium	Notre Dame Stadium (Capacity: 80,795)
Seasons ← 2013 2015 →

2014 Division I FBS independents football records
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
BYU			–			8	–	5
Notre Dame			–			8	–	5
Navy			–			8	–	5
Army			–			4	–	8

As of 29 November 2014; Rankings from AP Poll

	1	2	3	4	Total
Owls	7	3	0	7	17
• #17 Fighting Irish	14	14	10	10	48

Date: August 30
Location: Notre Dame Stadium
South Bend, IN
Game start: 3:42pm EDT
Elapsed time: 3:07
Game attendance: 80,795
Game weather: 82 Degrees F • Wind: SW 17 MPH • Weather: Cloudy Possible Rain
Referee: Jeff Heaser
TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Mike Mayock, Doug Flutie, & Kathryn Tappen

Scoring summary

1	6:02	ND	Everett Golson 11-yard touchdown run, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

1	2:13	Rice	Zach Wright 26-yard touchdown reception from Driphus Jackson, James Hairston kick good	Tied 7–7

1	2:01	ND	William Fuller 75-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 14–7

2	5:51	Rice	33-yard field goal by Hairston	ND 14–10

2	2:33	ND	Golson 14-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 21–10

2	0:05	ND	C. J. Prosise 53-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 28–10

3	4:07	ND	36-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 31–10

3	0:17	ND	Golson 4-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 38–10

4	7:47	ND	29-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 41–10

4	4:57	Rice	James Mayden 53-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Stehling, Hairston kick good	ND 41–17

4	3:32	ND	Greg Bryant 17-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 48–17

Scoring summary

1	6:02	ND	Everett Golson 11-yard touchdown run, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

1	2:13	Rice	Zach Wright 26-yard touchdown reception from Driphus Jackson, James Hairston kick good	Tied 7–7

1	2:01	ND	William Fuller 75-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 14–7

2	5:51	Rice	33-yard field goal by Hairston	ND 14–10

2	2:33	ND	Golson 14-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 21–10

2	0:05	ND	C. J. Prosise 53-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 28–10

3	4:07	ND	36-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 31–10

3	0:17	ND	Golson 4-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 38–10

4	7:47	ND	29-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 41–10

4	4:57	Rice	James Mayden 53-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Stehling, Hairston kick good	ND 41–17

4	3:32	ND	Greg Bryant 17-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 48–17

Michigan–Notre Dame rivalry

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wolverines	0	0	0	0	0
• No. 16 Fighting Irish	7	14	7	3	31

Date: September 6
Location: Notre Dame Stadium
South Bend, IN
Game start: 7:42 pm EDT
Elapsed time: 3:17
Game attendance: 80,795
Game weather: 70 degrees F • Wind: NNW 10 MPH • Weather: Clear skies
Referee: John O'Neill
TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Mike Mayock, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen

Scoring summary

1	1:50	ND	Cam McDaniel 1-yard touchdown run, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

2	3:58	ND	Amir Carlisle 1-yard touchdown reception from Everett Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 14–0

2	0:34	ND	William Fuller 24-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 21–0

3	3:02	ND	Carlisle 12-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 28–0

4	12:03	ND	43-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 31–0

Scoring summary

1	1:50	ND	Cam McDaniel 1-yard touchdown run, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

2	3:58	ND	Amir Carlisle 1-yard touchdown reception from Everett Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 14–0

2	0:34	ND	William Fuller 24-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 21–0

3	3:02	ND	Carlisle 12-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 28–0

4	12:03	ND	43-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 31–0

Shillelagh Trophy / Shamrock Series

	1	2	3	4	Total
Boilermakers	7	7	0	0	14
• #11 Fighting Irish	7	10	7	6	30

Date: September 13
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
Game start: 7:41 pm EDT
Elapsed time: 3:28
Game attendance: 56,832
Game weather: 61 Degrees F • Wind: N 6 MPH • Weather: Partly Cloudy
Referee: Jerry McGinn
TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond, Mike Mayock, Doug Flutie & Kathryn Tappen

Scoring summary

1	12:23	ND	Will Fuller 16-yard touchdown reception from Everett Golson, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

1	1:50	PUR	Brandon Cottom 7-yard touchdown reception from Danny Etling, Paul Griggs kick good	Tied 7–7

2	11:57	ND	19-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 10–7

2	3:00	PUR	DeAngelo Yancey 19-yard touchdown reception from Etling, Griggs kick good	PUR 14–10

2	0:13	ND	Golson 15-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 17–14

3	4:05	ND	Corey Robinson 15-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 24–14

4	9:31	ND	48-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 27–14

4	5:30	ND	39-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 30–14

Scoring summary

1	12:23	ND	Will Fuller 16-yard touchdown reception from Everett Golson, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

1	1:50	PUR	Brandon Cottom 7-yard touchdown reception from Danny Etling, Paul Griggs kick good	Tied 7–7

2	11:57	ND	19-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 10–7

2	3:00	PUR	DeAngelo Yancey 19-yard touchdown reception from Etling, Griggs kick good	PUR 14–10

2	0:13	ND	Golson 15-yard touchdown run, Brindza kick good	ND 17–14

3	4:05	ND	Corey Robinson 15-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 24–14

4	9:31	ND	48-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 27–14

4	5:30	ND	39-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 30–14

	1	2	3	4	Total
• #8 Fighting Irish	0	14	7	10	31
Orange	0	3	0	12	15

Date: September 27
Location: MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford, NJ
Game start: 8:00 pm EDT
Elapsed time: 3:45
Game attendance: 76,802
Game weather: 70 Degrees F • Wind: Mild • Weather: Sunny
Referee: J. Magallanes
TV announcers (ABC): Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit & Heather Cox

Scoring summary

2	10:56	ND	Will Fuller 23-yard touchdown reception from Everett Golson, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

2	8:31	ND	Fuller 72-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 14–0

2	3:07	SU	38-yard field goal by Cole Murphy	ND 14–3

3	9:39	ND	Corey Robinson 8-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 21–3

4	14:54	SU	Terrel Hunt 7-yard touchdown run, Murphy kick blocked	ND 21–9

4	10:19	ND	Torri Hunter Jr. 13-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 28–9

4	5:09	SU	Durell Eskridge 29-yard touchdown interception return, Hunt pass failed	ND 28–15

4	1:57	ND	37-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 31–15

Scoring summary

2	10:56	ND	Will Fuller 23-yard touchdown reception from Everett Golson, Kyle Brindza kick good	ND 7–0

2	8:31	ND	Fuller 72-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 14–0

2	3:07	SU	38-yard field goal by Cole Murphy	ND 14–3

3	9:39	ND	Corey Robinson 8-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 21–3

4	14:54	SU	Terrel Hunt 7-yard touchdown run, Murphy kick blocked	ND 21–9

4	10:19	ND	Torri Hunter Jr. 13-yard touchdown reception from Golson, Brindza kick good	ND 28–9

4	5:09	SU	Durell Eskridge 29-yard touchdown interception return, Hunt pass failed	ND 28–15

4	1:57	ND	37-yard field goal by Brindza	ND 31–15

The 2014 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They compete as an independent.

The Irish started the season with a 6–0 record, ranked as high as #5 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, but had a collapse in the second half of the season, losing five of their last six games to finish the regular season at 7–5. Notre Dame's defense suffered significant injuries and yielded over 41 points per game over those six games. For the first time in school history, the Irish gave up thirty points or more in seven consecutive contests.

Despite the disappointing season the Irish finished on a high note, upsetting the heavily favored LSU Tigers (8 point favorites) in the Music City Bowl, 31–28. Kicker Kyle Brindza kicked the game winning field goal as time expired. This was the first win by Notre Dame over a Southeastern Conference (SEC) team since beating the University of Tennessee Volunteers in 2005. This is also Notre Dame's first win over a ranked opponent in a bowl game since 1993, where they defeated #6 Texas A&M.

The Fighting Irish finished the 2013 regular season with an 8-4 record. They beat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 29-16 in the 2013 Pinstripe Bowl.

The following former Notre Dame players were selected in the 2014 NFL Draft:

Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix, Troy Niklas and George Atkinson III all chose to forgo their final year of eligibility and enter the 2014 NFL Draft. On April 4, 2014, sophomore cornerback Rashad Kinlaw was dismissed from the team due to violation of team rules. He subsequently left the university following his dismissal from the football program.

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