No. 9 Notre Dame pushes past No. 21 Temple, 24-20, with late touchdown

DeShone Kizer hit Will Fuller with a 17-yard touchdown pass with 2:09 left in the game, KeiVarae Russell picked off a pass to end the last threat and No. 9 Notre Dame escaped with a 24-21 victory over No. 21 Temple on Saturday night.

The biggest game in the history of Temple football lived up to the billing. The Owls (7-1) pushed the Fighting Irish (7-1) to the brink and took the lead with 4:45 left on a 36-yard field goal by Austin Jones. But Kizer came right back with a long scoring drive, capped by the TD to his star receiver.

Then the Notre Dame defense stepped up. Temple’s P.J. Walker went deep down the right side, but Russell cut underneath the throw and made a diving pick.

Not until the very last play, when Kizer dropped the ball, picked it up and then threw it away to kill the clock, did the Irish get to celebrate.

Kizer finished with 299 yards passing and a 79-yard touchdown run.