No. 11 Notre Dame absolutely pulled off the upset of the year yesterday, taking down No. 1 Miami 31-24, and you can bet defensive back Luke Talich is the name everyone in college football is talking about. He delivered the kind of performance that saves a season, with two absolutely massive plays that iced the game for the Fighting Irish.
Talich’s Game-Sealing Stand in the Fourth
Talk about clutch. With less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah found his tight end, Elija Lofton, in the end zone. It looked like a game-tying touchdown, a total gut punch. Lofton got both feet down, it was happening. But Talich, man, he didn’t quit. He knocked that ball right out of Lofton’s hands as the receiver stepped out of bounds. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That’s a game-changer, plain and simple. Notre Dame got the ball back on downs, punted, and Miami’s last gasp ended on their first play of that drive when Mensah got sacked. Seriously, Talich shut it down.
Stopping the Momentum Cold in the Third
Before that epic finish, Talich already put his stamp on the game in the third quarter. Notre Dame had jumped out to a 24-3 lead, but Miami, being the No. 1 team, wasn’t going to roll over. They started a furious comeback, cutting the lead to a scary seven points and had the ball near midfield, looking like they were about to tie it up at 24-24. But Talich wasn’t having any of it. He stepped right in front of a pass intended for Lofton and snagged that interception. Big time play! A few plays later, CJ Carr found Nolan James Jr. on fourth down for a ridiculous 36-yard catch-and-run that set up a James TD run, putting Notre Dame back up by two scores. Momentum swung right back, all thanks to that pick.
This wasn’t just another win for Notre Dame. This was the “signature win” the College Football Playoff selection committee was asking for, a statement game against the top team in the nation. Luke Talich didn’t just make a couple plays; he delivered a loud, clear message to the entire league, and now everyone knows exactly what the Fighting Irish are capable of.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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