Notre Dame just blew an absolute gift, heading into halftime against BYU down 21-10 in Provo after a bizarre play cost them crucial points. The Fighting Irish were in prime position to cut into that deficit right before the break, sitting comfortably for at least a field goal, maybe even a touchdown. Instead, quarterback CJ Carr made a mistake that left everyone scratching their heads and his team staring at an 11-point hole instead of a much more manageable eight. If Notre Dame can’t turn this game around, this play is going to haunt them.
How Easy Points Slipped Away
The whole sequence was set up for Notre Dame to score. With time ticking down in the second quarter and no timeouts left, Carr knew the drill: get a completion in bounds, then spike the ball to stop the clock. That’s exactly what happened with nine seconds to go when Micah Gilbert hauled in a pass for a first down in the red zone. The clock stopped briefly for the first down, giving the Irish what seemed like plenty of time to get set for the spike. It looked initially like Carr had done it, spiking the ball with six seconds left on the clock. But then, things got weird.
The Spike That Wasn’t: A Fumble Recovery for BYU
Turns out, Carr didn’t secure the snap cleanly. Because of that, his “spike” wasn’t exactly by the book. Officials reviewed the play and determined Carr actually fumbled the ball in his hands before pushing it to the ground. BYU’s defense was right there, securing a clear fumble recovery. Just like that, the call flipped from an incomplete spike to a turnover, giving BYU the ball. The Cougars just kneeled it out, heading to the locker room with their 21-10 lead untouched. Notre Dame went from a near-certain field goal, or even an outside shot at a touchdown if they went aggressive, to absolutely nothing. What a brutal way to end the half.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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