EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Everett Golson completed 25 consecutive passes, setting a Notre Dame record, and threw for four touchdowns to lead the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish to a 31-15 victory against Syracuse on Saturday night.
Golson's record-breaking game was far from perfect. The quarterback threw his first two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter by Durell Eskridge. He fumbled the ball away deep in Syracuse territory and bumbled an attempt to spike the ball late in the first half to stop the clock into another giveaway.
A total of five turnovers by the Irish (4-0) allowed Syracuse (2-3) to linger. Terrel Hunt's 7-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter cut the lead to 21-9.
Golson came right back with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Torii Hunter Jr., son of the major-league outfielder. Golson was 32 for 39 for a career-best 362 yards, coming one completion short of matching the FBS record for consecutive completions in a game set by Dominique Davis in 2011 with East Carolina.
Corey Robinson, the son of former San Antonio Spurs star David Robinson, caught 8 passes for 91 yards 1 touchdown.
The Irish's fourth turnover, a fumble by Greg Bryant inside the Syracuse 30 late in the third quarter, led to the Orange's first touchdown. After Hunt's touchdown run, Jarron Jones blocked the extra point for the Irish.
Golson got it together in the second quarter. He directed a 95-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a 23-yard pass to Will Fuller, who cut his way into the end zone to make it 7-0. Fuller then caught a 72-yard touchdown to make it 14-0, and he had 6 catches for 119 yards.
Sports on 09/28/2014