Sportsnaut
Audric Estime rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 14 Notre Dame cruised to a 58-7 win over visiting Pitt on Saturday afternoon in South Bend, Ind.
Notre Dame (7-2) also notched two special teams touchdowns and a defensive score in the victory. Sam Hartman completed 18 of 25 passes for 288 yards and two interceptions.
Konata Mumpfield caught the lone touchdown for Pitt (2-6). Panthers quarterback Christian Veilleux threw four interceptions and finished 14-for-29 for 127 yards.
The Fighting Irish scored four touchdowns in the third quarter to establish a 44-0 lead.
Jadarian Price provided the first score of the second half with a 10-yard rushing touchdown. Price shed a tackle and burst into the end zone to put Notre Dame on top 24-0.
Less than two minutes later, Jaden Mickey returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown to increase the Fighting Irish’s lead to 31-0. It was the sophomore cornerback’s first career pick.
Notre Dame recovered a muffed punt by Pitt in the end zone to continue the lopsided affair. Ramon Hernandez pounced on the ball for the touchdown, but the Fighting Irish missed an extra-point attempt moments later to keep the score at 37-0.
Estime rushed for a 3-yard touchdown with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter.
The blowout continued in the fourth quarter as Estime rushed for a 5-yard score. It marked the running back’s third rushing touchdown of the game and his 12th of the season.
Pitt got on the scoreboard with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Nate Yarnell to Mumpfield with 8:18 to go in the fourth quarter.
The Fighting Irish finished the scoring with a 19-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Steve Angeli to Cooper Flanagan.
Notre Dame built a 17-0 lead at halftime.
The Fighting Irish turned to their special teams unit to open the scoring midway through the first quarter. Chris Tyree fielded a punt at the Notre Dame 18-yard line, dodged a pair of defenders and weaved through traffic up the middle for an 82-yard return touchdown.
Estime increased Notre Dame’s lead to 14-0 with a 15-yard rushing touchdown with 10:07 remaining in the first half.
A 23-yard field goal by Spencer Shrader made it 17-0 as time expired in the first half.
–Field Level Media
