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Notre Dame football: Most exciting 21 moments from the 2021 season

By Brad Weiss

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 01: A closeup of a Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cowboys defeated the Fighting Irish 37-35. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 01: A closeup of a Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cowboys defeated the Fighting Irish 37-35. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame football
Sep 11, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Michael Mayer (87) scores in the first quarter against the Toledo Rockets at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame football: Most exciting 21 moments from the 2021 season

No. 13: Michael Mayer gets Irish season started against Florida State

There was a lot of excitement surrounding the Notre Dame football team as they kicked off their 2021 regular season against Florida State. The team had lost a ton of talent to the NFL, including starting quarterback Ian Book, so it was anybodyโ€™s guess what the Irish would get from his successor, Jack Coan.

What they got was a record-setting effort from Coan, who threw for more passing yards than any other Notre Dame quarterback in their debut, leading the team to an overtime victory and the first win of the season. In that game, Coan threw for 366 yards, and it did not take long to see that he was the right choice to win the starting job.

The party got started right away against the Seminoles, as Coan took his team on a five-play touchdown drive on the first drive of the ballgame. Playing in primetime on ESPN, Coan proved the bright lights were no problem, hitting Michael Mayer for the first score of the season for the Irish, a beautiful 41-yard catch and run to put the team up 7-0.

Arguably the best tight end in the country, Mayer set the Florida State defense on fire, hauling in nine catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.

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