Michael WanbaughSouth Bend Tribune
SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame Football faces its biggest test of the the 2023 season ... next week. But this week, the Irish hosted Central Michigan of the Mid-American Conference in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
It's was low-profile tune-up for No. 9 Notre Dame ahead of the Sept. 23 primetime battle with No. 6 Ohio State in South Bend, but Central Michigan gave the Irish all they wanted in what ended up a 41-17 Notre Dame victory.
The ND Insider and South Bend Tribune team ofMike Berardino,Tom Noie, and Austin Hough have all your in-game coverage and analysis right here:
☘ Notre Dame Football Schedule | ☘ 2023 full roster | ☘ Depth chart vs. Central Michigan | ☘ Season predictions
POSTGAME
▶ Quick hits: Four observations from Notre Dame football game vs. Central Michigan
▶ Grades: Notre Dame football falls short of honor roll against Chippewas
▶ How the points were scored as Notre Dame improves to 4-0
FINAL: Notre Dame 41, Central Michigan 17
5:45 left in game: Notre Dame 41, Central Michigan 17
▶ Score:Holden Staes 4-yard catch from Hartman at 5:45 (Shrader kick)
▶ Drive:6 plays, 82 yards in 2:51 after a CMU punt.
▶ Key plays:Estimé looked like he was trying out for the Notre Dame track team on the drive. He hurdles two defenders on back-to-back carries, the latter of which went 41 yards to set up a 1st-and-goal scenario for the Irish.
10:07 left in game: Notre Dame 34, Central Michigan 17
▶ Score:Shrader 31-yard field goal at 10:07
▶ Drive:10 plays, 47 yards in 3:54 after Central Michigan punt.
▶ Key plays:Estimé had a 12-yard run to start the drive. The only other 10-plus yard gain on the drive then came a few plays later when Jadarian Price picked up a 15-yard gain on the ground. Lack of execution near the red zone led the Irish to settle for the field goal.
More: Spencer Shrader's 'huge leg' is already tempting Notre Dame football coaches
End of third: Notre Dame 31, Central Michigan 17
0:30 left in third: Notre Dame 31, Central Michigan 17
▶ Score:Shrader 50-yard field goal at 0:30
▶ Drive:5 plays, 43 yards in 1:29 after CMU field goal
▶ Key plays:A 42-yard pass from Hartman to Rico Flores moved the Irish down the field. A holding call on Pat Coogan then pushed them back, but they were able to recover from that and score off the long boot by Shrader.
Spencer Shrader is now 2-for-5 on field goal attempts in his Notre Dame career. Both his makes have been more than 50 yards, including a program record 54-yarder last week at N.C. State. His misses have been from 42 yards (Navy), 56 yards (hit upright vs. N.C. State) and 59 yards (Central Michigan).
1:59 left in third: Notre Dame 28, Central Michigan 17
▶ Score:Mattson 23-yard field goal
▶ Drive:12 plays, 50 yards in 5:37 after a Notre Dame punt.
▶ Key plays:A 37-yard pass from Bauer to Jesse Prewitt III for 37 yards set up the Chippewas at the Notre Dame 17-yard line. After CMU picked up another first down, the Irish defense was able to hold up, forcing the field goal.has context menu
Sam Hartman scare
42-yard bomb to Rico Flores on first play back. Yeah, he's OK. First 300-yard passing game for Sam Hartman at Notre Dame.
11:36 left in the third quarter: Notre Dame 28, Central Michigan 14
▶ Score:Hartman 1-yard run at 11:36 (Shrader kick)
▶Drive:7 plays, 74 yards in 3:19 after opening kickoff.
▶ Key plays:A 21-yard run by Estimé on the first play of the drive, then a nice diving catch from Thomas for a 39-yard reception a few plays later set up the Irish touchdown. Nice response after a sluggish end to the first half for the offense
Halftime: Notre Dame leads Central Michigan, 21-14
Of Notre Dame's 290 yards of offense, more than half — 151 yards — came from two plays: Hartman's 76-yard TD strike to Chris Tyree and a 75-yard scoring play to Tobias Merriweather.
Noie: Two-minute offense for Notre Dame football has been an exercise in excellence
The Chippewas didn't give Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman a chance to work closing-moment magic in the second half with their late score. In the previous three games Hartman was 14 of 17 for 221 yards and three touchdowns in the two-minute drill before halftime.
0:17 left in second: Notre Dame 21, Central Michigan 14
▶ Score:Bauer 1-yard run at 0:17 (Mattson kick)
▶ Drive:9 plays, 83 yards in 3:58 after Notre Dame punt
▶ Key plays:There were two plays of 25-plus yards on the drive for the Chippewas. Lukes had a 25-yard run on the first play of the series, and Bauer completed a 31-yard pass to Tyson Davis midway through the drive. After multiple attempts from the one-yard line, Bauer finally crossed the goal line to make it a one possession game.
14:17 left in second quarter: Notre Dame 21, Central Michigan 7
In just over a quarter of action, Notre Dame football quarterback Sam Hartman is 4 for 6 for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
▶ Score:Chris Tyree 76-yard catch from Hartman at 14:17 (Shrader kick)
▶ Drive:3 plays, 87 yards in 1:18 after Central Michigan punt
▶ Key plays:Another short drive with a big touchdown pass from Hartman, this time to Tyree. Jayden Thomas had a 10-yard run and Jeremiyah Love a one-yard rush before the pass.
IN-GAME FEATURE
▶ Why was Notre Dame football wearing a No. 32 sticker on its gold helmets Saturday?
End of first quarter: Notre Dame leads Central Michigan, 14-7
2:13 left in first: Notre Dame 14, Central Michigan 7
▶ Score:Estimé 17-yard run at 2:13 (Shrader kick)
▶ Drive:11 plays, 75 yards in 5:09 after Central Michigan touchdown
▶ Key plays:The Irish picked up chunk plays here and there to move down the field for the score. Hartman had a 12-yard pass to Chris Tyree, then an 11-yard throw-and-catch to Jayden Thomas. There was also a 10-yard run from Gi’Bran Payne and an 11-yard rushing gain from Estimé, which came three plays before his rushing touchdown.
7:22 left in first: Notre Dame 7, Central Michigan 7
▶ Score:Myles Bailey 6-yard run at 7:22 (Tristan Mattson kick)
▶ Drive:6 plays, 65 yards in 3:30 after Notre Dame touchdown
▶ Key plays:Spencer Shrader’s kick rolled out of bounds, setting up the Chippewas at the 35-yard line. A roughing the passer penalty against the Irish then moved CMU into Notre Dame territory. A 16-yard pass from Jase Bauer to Marion Lukes then set up the visitors in prime scoring range.
10:52 left in first quarter: Notre Dame 7, Central Michigan 0
Four plays, 91 yards and a 75-yard Tobias Merriweather TD pass from Sam Hartman.
▶ Score:Tobias Merriweather 75-yard catch from Sam Hartman at 10:52 (Spencer Shrader kick)
▶ Drive:4 plays, 91 yards in 2:03 after Central Michigan punt
▶ Key plays:Obviously, the 75-yard touchdown pass takes up the bulk of the drive. Audric Estimé ran three times for 16 yards before the deep pass from Hartman to Merriweather.
Notre Dame football vs. Central underway in South Bend
Injury report: change at QB for Central Michigan, Notre Dame TE Mitchell Evans out
Pregaming for Notre Dame football vs. Central Michigan
▶ Concussion sidelines Notre Dame football captain JD Bertrand for Central Michigan game
▶ South Bend Tribune/NDInsider.com podcast preview
▶ Two-time national champion Luther Bradley reflects on Notre Dame football and beyond
▶ VIDEO: Sam Hartman and the Heisman machine
Notre Dame football QB Sam Hartman answers the Heisman Trophy question
It takes a village to launch a Heisman Trophy campaign. Just ask Sam Hartman, who has plenty of support as QB for Notre Dame football.
Mike Berardino, ND Insider
☘ Notre Dame Football Schedule | ☘ 2023 full roster | ☘ Depth chart vs. Central Michigan | ☘ Season predictions
