DeShone Kizer hit Will Fuller with a 17-yard scoring strike with 2:09 remaining to lift Notre Dame to a hard fought 24-20 win over previously unbeaten Temple on Saturday night. The Irish offense struggled mightily throughout, as Kizer’s two red zone interceptions in the first half kept the game close. The determined Owls clawed back from a 14-10 halftime deficit to score ten fourth quarter points and take a 20-17 lead with only 4:45 remaining, but Kizer shrugged off his earlier mistakes and came through with clutch passes to Fuller and freshman tight end Alize Jones to guide his team to victory. A diving interception by KeiVarae Russell sealed the win for 7-1 Notre Dame.

The Irish wanted to establish superiority early in the contest and appeared to be on the right track when they took the opening kickoff and marched downfield for a 7-0 lead. Temple answered later in the first period with a field goal, and then stopped Notre Dame in the red zone with an interception on an ill-advised pass thrown under duress. The Owls offense found its stride and marched 94 yards to take a 10-7 lead. Jahad Thomas keyed the drive with a 40 yard run from deep in his own territory.

Kizer answered on the ensuing series with a 79-yard touchdown run on a zone read play where he pulled the ball away from C.J. Prosise and ran untouched around right end for the score. Leading 14-10 with just over a minute left in the half, Notre Dame had an opportunity to add to its lead but Kizer’s pass at the goal line was tipped into the air and picked off by Tyler Matakevich.

The Irish returned to the red zone in the third quarter, but had to settle for a Justin Yoon field goal for a 17-10 advantage. Sensing his team was still very much in the game, Temple’s P.J. Walker led the Owls back before a boisterous crowd. Walker hit Robby Anderson for 31 yards on a fourth down play to put Temple in scoring territory, and a targeting penalty on Elijah Shumate opened the door for Thomas to tie the game at 17 from one yard out and 10:51 left on the clock.

A sack and a personal foul derailed the next series for Notre Dame, and the Owls took over in good field position. Walker’s 21-yard scamper set up a 36-yard field goal by Austin Jones for a 20-17 Temple advantage. Once again, Kizer was able to summon the game-winning plays despite his struggles over the first 55 minutes of the game. His pass to Jones covered 45 yards and brought Notre Dame to the Owl 17 before the winning strike to Fuller.

After Russell’s interception on Temple’s last ditch series, the Irish attempted to run out the clock. The Owls had sufficient timeouts to force Notre Dame to run a fourth down play near midfield with five seconds left. With memories of the Michigan debacle fresh in everyone’s mind, Coach Brian Kelly eschewed the punt and ordered Kizer to loft a long pass down the sideline as the final seconds ticked harmlessly off the clock. Drama crept into the play, however, as Kizer dropped the ball on the ground upon taking the shotgun snap. Fortunately for the Irish, it bounced back into his hands and he was able to launch a deep pass out of bounds to end the game.

Defensively, Sheldon Day and Isaac Rochelle were dominant for the Irish. Untimely penalties and breakdowns in the secondary marred an otherwise solid performance, but it was primarily the failures by the offense that made the outcome closer than it needed to be.

Let’s look at the pregame questions for additional insight.

Will the Irish match the Owls’ early emotion and intensity, or start slowly once again? Notre Dame scored early, but Temple deserves credit for killing two subsequent first half drives with high-effort defensive plays.

Which team’s talented tailback will have the biggest impact? C.J. Prosise was a marked man for the Irish and could not get it going. This strategy by the Owls enabled Kizer to pick up 143 yards on the ground, however, so there was a price for them to pay. Thomas was largely held in check, but he did have that 40-yard run and the tying touchdown in the final period.

Will Temple’s surprising pass rush be able to pressure Kizer? The Owls created some pressure and caused some negative plays, but Notre Dame’s protection improved in the second half.

Can Walker carry the fight to Notre Dame through the air? Walker was only 13 of 30, although he did make a few positive plays that were enough to keep his team in the game.

Will the Owls get the better of the Irish on special teams? No, things were relatively even in that department with no significant plays for either team.

Which team will be burdened by penalties and turnovers? Both teams committed multiple 15 yard fouls that were costly at the time. Notre Dame was hurt much more by turnovers until Walker’s final pass.

Will the Irish defense finally avoid being gashed for long plays due to mental errors and sloppy play? There were still a few inexplicable lapses, such as allowing a flea flicker for over 20 yards, the 31-yard pass on fourth and four, and the 40-yard run by Thomas out of the shadow of his own goal, but Notre Dame survived.

How long will it take Notre Dame to turn the Owls into 7-1 pumpkins? It should have happened in 30 minutes, but it took every bit of 60.

The Irish must stay on the road and prepare for a Pittsburgh squad that historically gives Notre Dame all it can handle. The path to the playoffs nearly dead-ended on this spooky night, and one has to wonder if the Irish can remain in the conversation with monumental struggles against teams that have nowhere near their overall talent. While these shaky performances create great entertainment for the networks, this game was hardly a treat for fans of Notre Dame.