Notre Dame football vs. Toledo review: 3 studs, 3 duds in Week 2
By Andrew Hall
The Notre Dame football team survived an upset bid from one of the best teams in the Mid-American Conference, Toledo, 31-29.
Saturday’s tilt with Toledo was supposed to help the Notre Dame football team tune-up for the remainder of the 2021 slate. However, it quickly turned into another battle for survival. The Rockets played a sensational game and will likely compete for the MAC championship this season.
Significant Notre Dame errors allowed Toledo’s upset dream to become a reality. Kevin Austin and Michael Mayer’s incredible receiving ability shattered those dreams in the final two minutes of the contest.
Normally, a pick-six that almost causes an upset would land the quarterback on the duds list. However, Jack Coan made up for the error by leading a game-winning drive. He even popped a dislocated finger back in before throwing the go-ahead touchdown.
That is a gutsy performance.
Unfortunately, two of the three duds this week were also listed last week. More concerning, both will probably remain on that list for the near future. If one or both units find their way this season, Notre Dame football fans should expect a double-digit campaign. If not, the Irish will not meet expectations.
The Fighting Irish return to the field on Saturday, Sept. 18 against Purdue. Notre Dame is currently a 7-point favorite over the Boilermakers. Purdue enters the contest at 2-0 with victories over Oregon State and UCONN.
Without further ado, here are the studs and duds for week two – starting with the studs.