Deshone Kizer Leads Notre Dame to Heroic Victory
By Dave McKee
Sep 12, 2015; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Durham Smythe (80) celebrates with offensive center Nick Martin (72) after a touchdown on a fake field goal in the first quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
DeShone Kizer in his first game as a college quarterback. Football is a game that requires emotional discipline. Perhaps even more than it requires physical and mental discipline. There will be highs and lows and every emotion in between. Apparently, Kizer knew this already because he was stone-cold with the game on the line.
The range of emotions felt during a college football game is evident everywhere. They are felt on the football field, on the sidelines and it is most strongly felt in the stands. Excitement, despair, frustration, joy, disappointment, elation and heartbreak all can be felt in fast succession during the 60 minutes of a college football game. This game had all that, an amazing finish and the emergence of a new football star.
–= Related: Notre Dame Stuns Texas =–
Normally, I do not do chronological formats for a game recap, forgive me, but this is truly the only way to tell the story of perhaps, the greatest game of this young season. Notre Dame entered their second game of the season riding high on the momentum from their 38-3 drubbing of Texas, a week before. Emotions were high they were on the road against one of their five scheduled ACC opponents and looked prepared to dominate.
Notre Dame entered Scott Stadium as 14 point favorites against the Virginia Cavaliers. From the first quarter alone, it appeared to be an underestimation because the Fighting Irish were dominating Virginia on their own field. The Irish drew first blood scoring a touchdown on a fake field goal.
You got to love a well-executed fake field goal. DeShone Kizer gets the credit for the TD pass to to Durham... http://t.co/UooP27uS7h
— fantasyrasta.eth (@FantasyRasta) September 12, 2015
Sophomore quarterback DeShone Kizer took the snap and faked a pitch to kicker Justin Yoon. Kizer then shoveled it to tight end Durham Smythe for the 7-yard touchdown. For a sophomore quarterback, it couldn’t get any easier for a first touchdown. The Irish followed that touchdown with back-to-back field goals by Yoon to increase the lead to 12-0 with 0:07 left in the first quarter.
Next: The Pendulum Swings