2021 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team


The 2021 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led during the regular season by Brian Kelly in his 12th and final season at Notre Dame. They finished the season 11–2, highlighted by rivalry wins over Purdue, USC, Navy, and [2021 2021 Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford] and an upset loss to eventual CFP participant [2021 2021 Cincinnati Bearcats football team|Cincinnati Bearcats football team|Cincinnati]. The Fighting Irish played their home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.
On November 29, Kelly resigned to become the head coach at LSU. He finished at Notre Dame with a 12-year record of 113–40 on the field, and an official record of 92–40 due to games vacated by the NCAA. Defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman was named the program's new head coach. The Irish played in the Fiesta Bowl against [2021 2021 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team|Oklahoma State Cowboys football team|Oklahoma State], losing 37–35 after blowing a 28–7 2nd-quarter lead.

Offseason

Coaching changes

On December 14, 2020 defensive coordinator Clark Lea left the school to become the head coach at Vanderbilt. On January 8, 2021, the school named Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to replace Lea.

Departures

NFL
Transfers out
Other
  • OL Hunter Spears

Transfers in

Schedule

The 2021 schedule was officially released on April 25, 2019. The neutral site game at Soldier Field had been designated the Shamrock Series game, although television rights were owned and operated by the Big Ten Network. This was the second year since 2020 that not every home game aired on NBC, as the home opener aired on Peacock.

Game summaries

At Florida State

StatisticsNotre DameFlorida State
First downs1719
Total yards431442
Rushing yards65264
Passing yards366178
Turnovers13
Time of possession30:3529:25

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Notre DamePassingJack Coan26/35, 366 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams18 carries, 42 yards
Notre DameReceivingMichael Mayer9 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD
Florida StatePassingJordan Travis9/19, 130 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INT
Florida StateRushingJashaun Corbin15 carries, 144 yards, 1 TD
Florida StateReceivingKeyshawn Helton4 receptions, 53 yards

Toledo

StatisticsToledoNotre Dame
First downs1627
Total yards353449
Rushing yards132132
Passing yards221317
Turnovers24
Time of possession30:0429:56

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
ToledoPassingCarter Bradley17/27, 213 yards
ToledoRushingBryant Koback21 carries, 122 yards, 1 TD
ToledoReceivingDevin Maddox9 receptions, 135 yards
Notre DamePassingJack Coan21/33, 239 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams16 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD
Notre DameReceivingMichael Mayer7 receptions, 81 yards, 2 TDs

Purdue

StatisticsPurdueNotre Dame
First downs1916
Total yards348343
Rushing yards57120
Passing yards291223
Turnovers10
Time of possession34:1125:49

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
PurduePassingJack Plummer25/36, 187 yards, 1 TD
PurdueRushingKing Doerue10 carries, 45 yards
PurdueReceivingJackson Anthrop7 receptions, 90 yards
Notre DamePassingJack Coan15/31, 223 yards, 2 TDs
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams12 carries, 91 yards, 1 TD
Notre DameReceivingAvery Davis5 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD

Vs. No. 18 Wisconsin

StatisticsWisconsinNotre Dame
First downs1617
Total yards318242
Rushing yards783
Passing yards240239
Turnovers51
Time of possession28:2431:36

For this season's Shamrock Series, Notre Dame kept with tradition by donning special uniforms. The team wore its usual gold helmet that featured four stars on the back of the helmet, which honors the Flag of Chicago. The school's blue uniform had sleeves featuring two gold stripes, which resemble the rivers and waterways represented on Chicago's flag. The all-white numbers are block slab-serif, which represent the "City of Broad Shoulders". The back collar of the uniform displays Notre Dame's mission statement, which is to "Graduate Champions". The pants are a nod to the Fighting Irish team that played the first football game at Soldier Field in 1924, the same year the university won its first championship. The pants are gold, with two blue lines with a white line in the middle, running down the side of the leg.
With this victory, Brian Kelly became the winningest coach in Notre Dame history with victory number 106, surpassing Knute Rockne in his 12th season with the Fighting Irish.
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
WisconsinPassingGraham Mertz18/41, 240 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs
WisconsinRushingChez Mellusi18 carries, 54 yards
WisconsinReceivingKendric Pryor6 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
Notre DamePassingJack Coan15/29, 158 yards, 1 TD
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams18 carries, 33 yards
Notre DameReceivingKevin Austin Jr.6 receptions, 76 yards, 2 TDs

No. 7 Cincinnati

StatisticsCincinnatiNotre Dame
First downs1619
Total yards390341
Rushing yards9384
Passing yards297257
Turnovers42
Time of possession28:1031:50

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
CincinnatiPassingDesmond Ridder19/32, 297 yards, 2 TDs
CincinnatiRushingJerome Ford17 carries, 71 yards
CincinnatiReceivingAlec Pierce6 receptions, 144 yards
Notre DamePassingDrew Pyne9/22, 143 yards, 1 TD
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams13 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD
Notre DameReceivingMichael Mayer8 receptions, 93 yards

At Virginia Tech

StatisticsNotre DameVirginia Tech
First downs2121
Total yards401321
Rushing yards180134
Passing yards221187
Turnovers22
Time of possession28:3631:24

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Notre DamePassingTyler Buchner6/14, 113 yards, TD, 2 INT
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams19 carries, 81 yards, TD
Notre DameReceivingKevin Austin Jr.3 receptions, 70 yards
Virginia TechPassingBraxton Burmeister15/30, 184 yards, INT
Virginia TechRushingBraxton Burmeister10 carries, 49 yards, TD
Virginia TechReceivingTré Turner6 receptions, 80 yards

USC

StatisticsUSCNotre Dame
First downs2526
Total yards428383
Rushing yards129170
Passing yards299213
Turnovers21
Time of possession28:3731:23

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
USCPassingKedon Slovis27/37, 299 yards, INT
USCRushingKeaontay Ingram24 carries, 138 yards, TD
USCReceivingDrake London15 receptions, 171 yards
Notre DamePassingJack Coan20/28, 189 yards, TD, INT
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams25 carries, 138 yards, 2 TD
Notre DameReceivingLorenzo Styles Jr.3 receptions, 57 yards

North Carolina

StatisticsNorth CarolinaNotre Dame
First downs2826
Total yards554523
Rushing yards213293
Passing yards341230
Turnovers10
Time of possession30:1529:45

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
North CarolinaPassingSam Howell24/31, 341 yards, TD, INT
North CarolinaRushingSam Howell18 carries, 91 yards, TD
North CarolinaReceivingJosh Downs10 receptions, 142 yards
Notre DamePassingJack Coan16/24, 213 yards, TD
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams22 carries, 199 yards, TD
Notre DameReceivingLorenzo Styles Jr.3 receptions, 74 yards

Navy

StatisticsNavyNotre Dame
First downs1121
Total yards184430
Rushing yards166150
Passing yards18280
Turnovers00
Time of possession34:3325:27

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
NavyPassingXavier Arline1/2, 18 yards
NavyRushingIsaac Ruoss22 carries, 73 yards
NavyReceivingJayden Umbarger1 reception, 18 yards
Notre DamePassingJack Coan23/29, 269 yards, TD
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams17 carries, 95 yards, 2 TD
Notre DameReceivingKevin Austin Jr.6 receptions, 139 yards, TD

At Virginia

StatisticsNotre DameVirginia
First downs2217
Total yards423278
Rushing yards24982
Passing yards174196
Turnovers22
Time of possession29:4130:19

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Notre DamePassingJack Coan15/20, 132 yards, 3 TD, INT
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams14 carries, 70 yards, TD
Notre DameReceivingMichael Mayer7 receptions, 84 yards, TD
VirginiaPassingJay Woolfolk18/33, 196 yards, 2 INT
VirginiaRushingMike Hollins9 carries, 44 yards
VirginiaReceivingKeytaon Thompson9 receptions, 110 yards

Georgia Tech

StatisticsGeorgia TechNotre Dame
First downs1123
Total yards224514
Rushing yards128212
Passing yards96302
Turnovers20
Time of possession30:3929:21

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Georgia TechPassingJordan Yates14/28, 96 yards, INT
Georgia TechRushingJahmyr Gibbs12 carries, 58 yards
Georgia TechReceivingMalachi Carter3 receptions, 89 yards
Notre DamePassingJack Coan15/20, 285 yards, 2 TD
Notre DameRushingTyler Buchner5 carries, 67 yards
Notre DameReceivingKevin Austin Jr.2 receptions, 89 yards

At Stanford

StatisticsNotre DameStanford
First downs2611
Total yards509227
Rushing yards16855
Passing yards341172
Turnovers12
Time of possession34:1025:50

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Notre DamePassingJack Coan26/35, 345 yards, 2 TD, INT
Notre DameRushingKyren Williams19 carries, 74 yards, 2 TD
Notre DameReceivingKevin Austin Jr.6 carries, 125 yards
StanfordPassingTanner McKee20/25, 172 yards, TD
StanfordRushingAustin Jones9 carries, 35 yards, TD
StanfordReceivingBenjamin Yurosek5 receptions, 87 yards, TD

Vs. Oklahoma State (Fiesta Bowl)

StatisticsOklahoma StateNotre Dame
First downs3427
Total yards605551
Rushing yards23442
Passing yards371509
Turnovers22
Time of possession29:0630:54

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Oklahoma StatePassingSpencer Sanders34/51, 371 yards, 4 TD
Oklahoma StateRushingSpencer Sanders17 carries, 125 yards
Oklahoma StateReceivingBrennan Presley10 receptions, 137 yards
Notre DamePassingJack Coan38/68, 509 yards, 5 TD, INT
Notre DameRushingLogan Diggs9 carries, 29 yards
Notre DameReceivingLorenzo Styles Jr.8 receptions, 136 yards, TD