COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Irish Are Very Fast at Finish : Nonconference: Notre Dame scores two touchdowns in the final three minutes to beat Washington, 29-21.

Lou Holtz had worried about making mistakes. But this time, Notre Dame was capitalizing on them.

No. 15 Washington committed three critical errors in the final three minutes Saturday and No. 23 Notre Dame took full advantage in beating the Huskies, 29-21.

The back-breaker was cornerback Allen Rossum’s 76-yard return of an interception for the clinching touchdown as Notre Dame was clinging to a 22-21 lead in the final minute.

“I don’t know if it was an overthrown ball or if it was tipped,” Rossum said. “The only thing I was thinking about was making it to the end zone.”

The Huskies (3-2) were threatening late in the game. One play before Rossum’s game-turning interception, Washington quarterback Damon Huard scrambled 27 yards to the Irish 33 with 44 seconds to play.

But the interception ended whatever hope the Huskies had of staging a comeback.

“When things aren’t going well, that’s when you have to battle back,” said Holtz, who had complained earlier in the week of his team’s mistakes in a 45-26 loss to No. 5 Ohio State.

Holtz, still wearing a neck brace, followed the advice of doctors and watched the game from the press box. “If you follow the plan and believe in the plan, good things will happen,” he said.

Notre Dame (4-2) won the first game between the teams since 1949 by coming back twice.

Notre Dame, trailing, 21-14, blew a chance to draw even when Derrick Mayes fumbled at the Washington 20 after a 15-yard pass reception with only 3:43 remaining.

But the Irish got a second chance when, on fourth down, punter John Wales fumbled a snap and Notre Dame took over at the Huskies’ 20.

On first and goal from the seven, Autry Denson broke three tackles on the way to the end zone. Mayes was then left uncovered in the left corner of the end zone and caught a pass from Ron Powlus for the two-point conversion that gave the Irish a 22-21 lead.