Final: USF 23, Notre Dame 20

Posted Sep 3, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Sep 3, 2011 at 10:38 PM

SOUTH BEND, Ind. This much is certain: it was well worth the wait for the University of South Florida.

The Bulls had to wait through two weather delays totaling two hours, 53 minutes Saturday, but when all was said and done they had one of the biggest wins in program history, a 23-20 season-opening triumph over No. 16 Notre Dame.

A bend-but-don’t-break defense coupled with an 81-yard touchdown drive from the offense in the fourth quarter helped USF stun the Irish in front of, at least at one point, 80,795 at Notre Dame Stadium and make Bulls coach Skip Holtz a winner in his return to his alma mater.

The USF defense surrendered 508 yards of total offense but came up big when it mattered most, producing three turnovers when the Irish were in the red zone. The first of those seemed to set the tone for the game.

The Irish offense marched right down the field on the game’s opening possession before USF safety Jerrell Young and cornerback Kayvon Webster combined on what would become the longest defensive score against Notre Dame in its program history. On third-and-goal from the 1, Young stripped running back Jonas Gray of the ball, and Webster scooped it up and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.

Linebackers DeDe Lattimore and Michael Lanaris added interceptions for the Bulls – Lattimore’s coming in the end zone during the second quarter, and Lanaris’ coming on a diving play in the third quarter after a pass went off a receiver’s hands. In total, Notre Dame came up empty on four trips into the USF red zone – three of those being drives that got inside the Bulls 5.

USF built a 16-0 advantage in the first half, thanks to the Webster touchdown and three Maikon Bonani field goals, but the Bulls and Irish then waited through a two-hour, 10-minute delay before returning to the field because of inclement weather in the area. It was the first time in Notre Dame’s 123-year history that a game was delayed because of weather.

When the teams did return for the second half, Notre Dame did its best to rally behind quarterback Tommy Rees, who took over for starter Dayne Crist. Rees led the Irish to their first score, hitting Michael Floyd on a 24-yard scoring pass, but the Bulls responded shortly after with their biggest offensive drive of the game.

Quarterback B.J. Daniels engineered a 14-play, 81-yard scoring drive that he capped with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Evan Landi. That gave the Bulls a 23-7 lead with 11:05 to play.

Rees led the Irish on another scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Cierre Wood, and the Irish were set to take possession again at their own 13 and trailing 23-13 with 4:21 to play when the game was suspended again because of more bad weather approaching the area.

The teams returned after 43 minutes in the locker room, and when they did the USF defense again came up big again. Young intercepted Rees on the opening play after the delay, the fifth Irish turnover.

Rees and Floyd would later connect on a second scoring pass, an 8-yarder with 21 seconds remaining, but it was too little, too late as the Bulls held on for their first victory over a ranked opponent since 2009 against West Virginia.