ARLINGTON, Texas — Ian Book had Notre Dame transferring with an opportunity to get inside a landing of No. 1 Alabama in the second one part when his interception shifted the momentum of their playoff semifinal.
A couple of performs later, the Irish quarterback was once out of the sport after 310-pound defensive take on Christian Barmore fell on best of Book on a 14-yard sack.
The relocated Rose Bowl was once a quite extra delightful travel to Texas for the fourth-ranked Irish than their blowout loss to Clemson within the semifinals two years in the past, however the end result matched six earlier journeys to the playoffs or New Year’s Six bowls since 2000.
Friday’s 31-14 loss to the Crimson Tide on the house of the Dallas Cowboys put Notre Dame’s reasonable margin of defeat at 23 issues in the ones seven losses, two years after a 30-Three loss to Clemson within the Cotton Bowl in the similar stadium.
The recreation was once moved to Texas on account of COVID-19 restrictions in California.
Notre Dame, a three-touchdown underdog, was once a minimum of within the recreation within the 3rd quarter regardless of Alabama taking a handy guide a rough 14-Zero lead. The Irish had been riding down 21-7 when Book idea he had tight finish Michael Mayer open as he scrambled.
The underthrown move was once intercepted via Christian Harris, and John Metchie had a 40-yard catch and run at the subsequent play to arrange a landing.
On the following Irish ownership, Book ended up within the scientific tent after Barmore’s sack, changed via freshman Drew Pyne. By the time Book were given again into the sport after the winningest quarterback within the college’s storied historical past ignored the remainder of that ownership and the following one, the Irish trailed 31-7.
Book completed 27 of 39 for 229 yards with any other 55 yards dashing and a 1-yard landing. Kyren Williams additionally had a 1-yard rating.
Notre Dame gave up TD drives of 79, 97 and 84 yards on Alabama’s first 3 possessions, none of the ones marches lasting longer than 2:36.
But the protection was once higher the remainder of the way in which, making the sport really feel extra aggressive than two years previous when Clemson led 23-Three at halftime in a recreation that wasn’t thought to be just about as one-sided as this one coming in.
While there are methods to measure growth for the Irish, the base line was once a 2nd instantly loss to finish the season, coming off a 34-10 loss to Clemson within the ACC championship recreation. Notre Dame beat the Tigers 47-40 in November whilst Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was once sidelined on account of a favorable COVID-19 take a look at.