The Sports Xchange
Oct 10, 2015
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Running back C.J. Prosise rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns as No. 15 Notre Dame rolled to a 41-24 win over Navy on Saturday.
Quarterback DeShone Kizer passed for 281 yards and one touchdown and ran for one more. Notre Dame (5-1) scored 14 points off turnovers and posted a 459-340 advantage in total yards.
The loss snapped an eight-game win streak for Navy (4-1). Quarterback Keenan Reynolds rushed for 110 yards despite missing most of the second quarter. He completed only 2-of-4 passes for 16 yards.
Notre Dame clung to a 24-21 halftime lead before a special-teams takeaway helped to turn the momentum.
Navy kick returner Dishan Romine fumbled the opening kickoff to start the second half, and Notre Dame cornerback Devin Butler recovered the ball at the Navy 26-yard line.
Prosise followed with a 22-yard rushing touchdown -- his second of the afternoon -- to increase Notre Dame's lead to 31-21. Prosise added an 11-yard touchdown run on the next series to make it 38-21 with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter.
Navy cut the deficit to 38-24 on a 40-yard field goal by Austin Grebe late in the third quarter.
Notre Dame made it 41-24 on a 36-yard field goal by Justin Yoon with 9:48 remaining in the game.
The game started well for Navy, which grabbed a 7-0 lead on its third play from scrimmage. Running back Toneo Gulley capped the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run with 12:48 left in the first quarter.
Kizer rushed for a 1-yard touchdown to even the score at 7.
The Fighting Irish capitalized on a Navy turnover to grab a 14-7 lead with 10:37 left in the second quarter. Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith pounced on a fumble at the Navy 7-yard line, and Prosise found the end zone on the next play.
Notre Dame increased its lead to 21-7 as Kizer found wide receiver Will Fuller for a 30-yard touchdown with 7:10 to go in the second quarter.
Navy pulled even at 21 after a pair of rushing touchdowns by fullback Quentin Ezell. The 6-foot-1, 253-pound senior scored from 45 yards and 22 yards to tie the score with 24 seconds remaining in the first half.
A 52-yard field goal by Yoon gave Notre Dame a 24-21 lead as time expired in the first half.
NOTES: Navy QB Keenan Reynolds missed most of the second quarter after absorbing a hard tackle. Reynolds jogged to the locker room to be evaluated with about nine minutes left in the second quarter, but he returned to start the second half. ... Notre Dame WR Will Fuller moved into fourth place in school history with his 23rd career touchdown reception. ... Navy QB Tago Smith replaced Reynolds for parts of the second and fourth quarters. ... Legendary Notre Dame QB John Lujack, the 1947 Heisman Trophy winner, received a loud ovation as he performed the pregame coin toss. ... Navy basketball great David Robinson watched near the sideline as his son, Notre Dame WR Corey Robinson, played his alma mater.