SOUTH BEND, Ind.: Jack Coan threw for 269 yards and a touchdown, Kyren Williams ran for two scores and No. 8 Notre Dame shut down Navys triple-option attack in a 34-6 victory Saturday.
Coan, a grad transfer from Wisconsin, completed 23 of 29 passes, with a 70-yard scoring pass to Kevin Austin late in the first half for the Irish (801, No. 10 CFP).
Williams, who had a career-high 199 yards last week in a 44-34 shootout victory over North Carolina, scored on runs of 1 and 20 yards, but managed just 95 yards on 17 carries. The Irish offense totaled 430 yards.
Grad nose tackle Kurt Hinish had a career-high 10 tackles after making just 14 in six games coming in. Notre Dame dominated the Midshipmen (2-7) with its size and physical play. Navy controlled the clock, with 34:33 of possession but completed just one pass for 18 yards and rushed for 166 yards 73 on 22 carries by fullback Isaac Ruoss.
It was Notre Dames fourth straight victory in the series that began in 1927 but was interrupted last year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notre Dame has an 80-13-1 lead in the series that will continue at least through 2032.
Navy led 3-0 after the first quarter on the first of two field goals by Bijan Nichols. But the Irish scored 17 points in the second quarter Jonathan Doerers tying field goal, Williams’ 1-yard TD run and Coan-Austin’s touchdown aerial for a 17-3 halftime lead.
Notre Dame got a safety when Navy backup quarterback Xavier Arline, replacing injured starter Tai Lavatai, recovered his own fumble in the end zone early in the fourth quarter. Williams then recovered his goal-line fumble in the end zone to finish off his 20-yard scoring scamper. Freshman Logan Diggs completed the scoring with an 8-yard run.
THE TAKEAWAY
Navy: The Midshipmen struggled against Notre Dames physical front four. Back-to-back quarterback sacks in the second quarter by the Irish forced Navy to settle for a 49-yard field goal by Nichols and then starting quarterback Lavatai suffered a neck injury late in the first half and didnt return. Arline replaced him and completed one of two passes for 18 yards but managed just eight yards on eight carries.
Notre Dame: After being held scoreless and trailing 3-0 after the first quarter, the Irish outgained the Midshipmen 225-12 yards in the second quarter, including 158-0 through the air while scoring 17 unanswered points behind quarterbacks Coan and freshman Tyler Buchner, who alternated over the last three quarters.
Coan had two big completions to Austin (six receptions for 139 yards) in the first half a 38-yarder completion to set up Doerers tying 24-yard field goal and then their 70-yard completion that put the Irish up 17-3 with 50 seconds left.
POLLS IMPLICATIONS
Notre Dame probably will remain where it is in The Associated Press poll, but could move up in the College Football Playoff (No. 10) rankings with (CFP No. 9) Wake Forests 58-55 loss to North Carolina.
UP NEXT
Navy: Hosts East Carolina next Saturday.
Notre Dame: At Virginia next Saturday.
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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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