Louisville vs. Notre Dame: Score, Stats & Highlights

Notre Dame’s Chris Brown fumbles during last week’s loss to Northwestern. (Getty)

Final

Louisville 14-3-7-7 — 31
Notre Dame 0-3-14-8 — 28

Notre Dame’s seniors have helped rebuild the program into a national contender under coach Brian Kelly. But the group’s last game at Notre Dame Stadium ended in disappointment Saturday in a 31-28 loss to 24th-ranked Louisville.

The Cardinals (8-3 overall, 5-3 ACC) handed the Irish (7-4) their fourth loss in five games after a 6-0 start that put Notre Dame in the national championship picture.

Check out the box score here and read on for a recap.

Kyle Brindza Missed a 32-Yard Field Goal Attempt That Would Have Tied It

Notre Dame was tantalizingly close to digging out of an 11-point deficit and tying the game with 51 seconds left, but Kyle Brindza’s field goal attempt from 32 yards out was wide right.

Brindza was victimized in part by a bad hold by Malik Zaire, who was slow getting the ball to the ground on the attempt — the continuation of a trend of holding problems that have plagued the Irish throughout the year.

The miss was a rough ending to the last home game for Brindza, a senior who’s the leading kicker in Notre Dame history.

DeVante Parker’s Touchdown Gave Louisville the Lead

Notre Dame took its first lead of the game when Everett Golson hit Corey Robinson on a 7-yard touchdown strike that made it 20-17 Irish with 9:20 left in the third quarter.

Louisville answered, though, when Reggie Bonafon hit DeVante Parker on a 21-yard touchdown strike that made it 24-20 Cardinals with 5:46 left in the quarter.

The Cardinals padded their lead on the first play of the fourth quarter when Brandon Radcliff scored from 15 yards out to make it 31-20 with 14:55 left in the game.

Golson’s 28-yard touchdown pass to William Fuller brought ND to within 6, and Golson took it himself on a successful 2-point conversion that made it 31-28 with 11:17 left.

Preview: Notre Dame Trying to Bounce Back

Coming off a disastrous loss last week against lowly Northwestern, Notre Dame is back in action Saturday afternoon against 24th-ranked Louisville.

The game is the last of four this year against ACC opponents — part of the deal the Irish signed with the league when the school joined as a member in all non-football sports.

The Irish (7-3) are a 3-point favorite over the Cardinals (7-3 overall, 5-3 ACC). Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern, with TV coverage on NBC. Keep it here for live updates and highlights throughout the game.

Read More From Heavy

Yale vs. Harvard: Score, Stats & Highlights