Saturday, September 10, 2016 03:30 PM (ET)

QB Kizer leads No. 18 Notre Dame past Nevada

The Sports Xchange
Sep 10, 2016

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Quarterback DeShone Kizer completed 15 of 18 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 18 Notre Dame cruised to a 39-10 win over Nevada on Saturday.

Running back Josh Adams finished with 106 rushing yards to lead the Fighting Irish. Kizer also rushed for 35 yards and a touchdown before giving way to backup quarterback Malik Zaire late in the third quarter with the score out of reach.

Notre Dame (1-1) posted a 444-300 advantage in total yards as it bounced back from a double-overtime loss against Texas in its opening game.

Wolf Pack quarterback Tyler Stewart completed 10 of 23 passes for 113 yards and an interception. Running back James Butler tallied 50 rushing yards and 48 receiving yards for Nevada (1-1).

After a scoreless first quarter, Notre Dame pulled away with 25 points in the second quarter to establish a 25-0 halftime lead. That marked the most points in a quarter for Notre Dame since Sept. 3, 2005, when it scored 28 points in the second quarter against Pitt.

Kizer increased the lead to 32-0 with a 2-yard rushing touchdown on Notre Dame's first drive of the second half. He took the snap out of the shotgun formation and plowed across the goal line.

Nevada snapped the shutout on a 27-yard field goal by Brent Zuzo with 3:54 left in the third quarter.

Notre Dame pulled ahead 39-3 on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by running back Dexter Williams in the final minute of the third quarter.

Nevada finished the scoring on a 6-yard rushing touchdown by running back Jaxson Kincaide with 3:19 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The start of the game was far bumpier for Notre Dame than the finish. Neither team scored during the first quarter as the Fighting Irish notched more penalties (five) than first downs (four).

In the second quarter, the tenor changed. Kizer fired touchdown passes to wide receivers C.J. Sanders and Kevin Stepherson as the Fighting Irish scored 18 points in a span of 4:34.

Running back Tarean Folston added a 2-yard rushing touchdown with 35 seconds to go in the first half to increase Notre Dame's lead to 25-0. The play marked the first touchdown since the 2014 Music City Bowl for Folston, who tore his right ACL in last season's opener.

NOTES: Notre Dame WR Torii Hunter Jr. was ruled out for Saturday's game because of a concussion he sustained six days earlier at Texas. Junior WR Corey Holmes started in Hunter's place. ... Nevada coach Brian Polian returned to Notre Dame, where he worked as an assistant coach from 2005 to 2009. Polian's responsibilities at Notre Dame included stints as special teams coordinator, assistant linebackers coach and assistant defensive backs coach. ... Notre Dame S Devin Studstill, LB Te'Von Coney and WR C.J. Sanders made their first collegiate starts. ... Nevada RB Akeel Lynch left the game in the second quarter after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit from Notre Dame S Drue Tranquill. ... Notre Dame CB Shaun Crawford exited the game in the first quarter because of a left leg injury. ... The Fighting Irish marked their 250th consecutive sellout crowd at Notre Dame Stadium, a streak that started in 1974.
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