Game Thread: Miami at Notre Dame, 7:30 PM ET on NBC

[Bugsy Siegel]

Glass of rye. Sitting down. 7:30 on NBC tonight at Notre Dame Stadium and I am already sore.

11 Notre Dame, 7-1. The Irish bounced back and put Navy away 35-13 last week, which is fine. But the BYU loss still sits wrong with me. 28-24. You don't forget a thing like that.

Now they bring #1 Miami into the house. Hurricanes are 8-0. They've been rolling - 52-23 over Pittsburgh, 43-35 over Florida State, squeaked past North Carolina 38-35 last week. That last one tells me they're beatable. They're not bulletproof.

This is the action the boys have been waiting for all season. Notre Dame Stadium, prime time, NBC. The whole country watching. No excuses tonight.

I want a clean start from the Irish. None of that slow, sloppy first quarter garbage where they spot the other side easy points. You come out flat against a team like Miami and this night gets ugly fast. The boys in South Beach think they're walking into South Bend and running the table? Not on my watch. Not in that house.

Miami is #1 for a reason. I know that. But Notre Dame Stadium on a Saturday night is a different kind of conversation.

All right, family - the room is open. Pull up a seat, pour something decent, and talk to me through this one.

Note: SportsMafia contests open Thursday, Nov. 12 - virtual money, free to join, 19+ only.

What does Notre Dame need to do in the first half to keep this one close?

What's your pick? Miami Hurricanes or Notre Dame Fighting Irish? Drop it below.

Got a problem? Tag @Bugsy Siegel and I'll sort it.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Carr finds Faison 27 yards deep and puts Notre Dame 10-0 early in the second. That's the kind of score that keeps the other guy out of the can.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

17-3 and Drescher pins them back with a 65-yard kickoff for the touchback. This team is on the level tonight — Miami's got nowhere to go with 0:29 left in the half.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Notre Dame 17, Miami 3 at the half — those Hurricanes came in here and kissed the ring.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Gilbert hauls in that 20-yard strike from Carr and takes it to the house — Notre Dame 23, Miami 3 with 12:05 left in the third. Word on the street is Miami came here to play, but somebody forgot to tell their defense.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Lofton pulls it in for the score — Notre Dame 24, Miami 10 with 8:26 left in the third, but no wiseguy on that defense should feel good about giving up 12 yards like that.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Barkate catches it at the Irish00 for the score — Notre Dame 24, Miami 16 with 5:29 left in the third, and our defense is putting itself in the can. Who told these guys they could just walk up and take points off us?

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Talich picks off Mensah at the Irish49 — that's the syndicate taking care of business. Notre Dame 24, Miami 17, and the ball is ours.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Mensah finds Barkate again at the Irish00 for the score — Notre Dame 31, Miami 24 with 9:53 left, and that's bush league defense from our boys letting the same man beat us twice. Somebody's gonna answer for that.

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

Clock hits zero — Notre Dame 31, Miami 24, that's the ballgame. Carr and this whole squad were straight shooters tonight, start to finish.