Grading the Irish: Solid marks for Notre Dame football after business trip to Georgia Tech
ATLANTA – Notre Dame football sputtered out of the blocks once again, but the 11th-ranked Irish (US LBM Coaches Poll) had more than enough to race past unranked Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The final was 31-13.
For the sixth time in seven games, the Irish (6-1) trailed at some point in the first half. This also marked the fifth time Notre Dame’s opponent scored first.
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Offense: B-plus
Riley Leonard threw his first interception since late in Week 2 (Northern Illinois), but he also rushed for two first-half scores and completed 12 straight after the pick. Jeremiyah Love reached the end zone for the eighth straight game, tying him for the longest such streak at Notre Dame in 25 years.
Defense: A-minus
With backup Zach Pyron at QB instead of Haynes King, Notre Dame permitted a 13-play, 71-yard scoring drive on its second defensive series. Then the Irish clamped down, even with freshman cornerback Leonard Moore (team-high seven first-half tackles) replacing the injured Benjamin Morrison.
Special teams: B
Bryce Young blocked the second field goal of his young career, and a fake punt sprung Love for 27 yards early in the fourth. Walk-on Zac Yoakam, subbing again for starting placekicker Mitch Jeter (hip), hit from 42 yards. The normally solid kickoff coverage unit gave up returns of 31 and 27 yards.
Coaching: A-minus
Facing upset-minded Brent Key across the way, Marcus Freeman had his team ready to read and react. Freeman was a little quick using a defensive timeout with nearly two minutes left in the first half, but the Irish stayed aggressive on fourth down (and most others).
Overall: A-minus
In besting a banged-up Rambling Wreck, Notre Dame improved to 35-4 against ACC opposition since the start of 2017. Three of those losses were courtesy of Clemson, including two in the postseason. Next week the Irish face unbeaten Navy (6-0) at MetLife Stadium in North Jersey.
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football report card after neutral-site win at Georgia Tech
