NCAAF
School Soccer
Week 12
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Up to date 24s in the past
No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 22 Pitt are dealing with off in a crucial Week 12 matchup.
Notre Dame leads 14-0 within the first quarter. Observe our writers for information, updates and evaluation.
Examine out this week’s live coverage schedule on The Athletic.
Q1 7:13 – Notre Dame 14, Pitt 0
Adon Shuler is having himself a sport by means of one quarter. The Notre Dame DB comes from the protection place and brings Mason Heintschel down for the sack.
It's one other three-and-out for the Pitt offense. Notre Dame takes over on offense on the Pitt 48-yard line.
Q1 7:59 – Notre Dame 14, Pitt 0
Catastrophe for Pitt! Tae Johnson picks off Mason Heintschel, showcasing his persistence and pace, operating again into the tip zone for the decide six.
It’s Johnson's fourth interception of the season. It’s the seventeenth INT for Notre Dame's protection in 2025. Notre Dame leads by 14 in two performs.
Q1 8:16 – Notre Dame 7, Pitt 0
Jeremiyah Love! There aren’t any phrases. The Notre Dame operating again has a 56-yard landing run, that includes a scintillating spin transfer.
Love has over 1,000 dashing yards this season. His athleticism and explosiveness are on show once more immediately!
Q1 8:39 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
Pitt can't benefit from the missed Notre Dame discipline objective. The offense has a three-and-out, highlighted by a Mason Heintschel incomplete cross supposed for Cataurus Hicks on third-and-9.
The Combating Irish take over at their 44-yard line.
Q1 9:56 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
The struggles proceed for Notre Dame’s placekicking. Erik Schmidt hits his 46-yard discipline objective vast proper.
A pleasant defensive cease for Pitt, the place cornerback Rashad Battle breaks up a third-and-10 cross from CJ Carr. Pitt will restart on offense with beneath 10 minutes remaining within the first quarter.
Q1 12:27 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
Following the large Shuler sort out on third down, Pitt goes for it on fourth-and-8. However Mason Heintschel will get sacked, leading to a turnover on downs.
Notre Dame begins on offense with favorable discipline place.
Q1 12:31 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
On third-and-8, Mason Heintschel throws over the center of the sphere to Cataurus Hicks. However Hicks will get introduced down with a monstrous sort out courtesy of Notre Dame security Adon Shuler.
What a sort out!
Q1 14:44 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
Desmond Reid is likely one of the big-play operating backs within the nation. He reveals that with a 19-yard reception as he turns and runs upfield on the primary play of the sport.
Nice begin for the Pitt offense!
Q1 15:00 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
We’re underway from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Pitt will get the ball to start out the sport.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman leads the Combating Irish onto the sphere to a refrain of boos. Not lengthy now till kickoff.
Get excited, soccer followers!
Which suggests it’s your final likelihood to ship in some sport predictions! Will the Combating Irish maintain rolling to a different playoff spot, or will the Panthers decide up an enormous resume win? E mail us your ideas: live@theathletic.com.
Each of Notre Dame's operating backs earned a spot in Dane Brugler's updated 2026 NFL Draft board — Jeremiyah Love all the way in which up at No. 5; Jadarian Value at No. 39. Right here's Dane on Love:
💬: “NFL groups seeking to change into extra explosive on offense are going to have Love excessive on their want lists in April. His explosiveness and talent to remain afloat as a ball provider are distinctive qualities, together with the worth he provides within the passing sport.”
Love at the moment leads all FBS operating backs with 16 complete touchdowns (13 dashing, three receiving) and ranks third with 37 performs of 10-plus yards (28 carries, 9 catches).
GO FURTHER
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No. 9 Notre Dame (-10.5) at No. 23 Pittsburgh
Pitt has gone 5-0 and emerged as a contender for the ACC title since freshman Mason Heintschel took over at quarterback. The Irish, although, are 10-3 beneath Marcus Freeman since 2021 as a highway favourite, and the Panthers are 9-13 as a house underdog beneath Pat Narduzzi since 2015. A few of the Panthers’ finest gamers have been banged up, although, together with operating again Desmond Reid and linebacker Rasheem Biles. Notre Dame’s protection shuts down Pitt’s operating sport (lower than 100 yards) and forces Heintschel into a few mistakes to win by two scores and cover the spread.
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He’ll in all probability take some needling from former West Virginia kicker Pat McAfee, however anticipate Pitt legend Aaron Donald — who went onto change into one of many best defensive linemen in trendy NFL historical past with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams — to get the group fired up as he returns to Pittsburgh because the visitor picker on “School GameDay” immediately.
Pitt was included within the High 25 on this week’s School Soccer Playoff rankings. The Panthers had been twenty second.
Right here is our Ralph D. Russo on the significance of this week’s Notre Dame-Pitt sport:
💬 “The Panthers will doubtless play three CFP-relevant video games between now and the tip of the common season. The one query is whether or not they’re contenders or simply spoilers by Thanksgiving weekend. A Pitt victory this weekend just about eliminates Notre Dame and breathes life into the complete ACC by clearing out an at-large spot and giving the convention some transitive-property credit score.”
The second School Soccer Playoff rankings had been unveiled on Tuesday. Notre Dame slotted at No. 9.
How will Combating Irish followers cheer this weekend with a number of pivotal video games on faucet?
Our Notre Dame author, Pete Sampson, has all the small print beneath.
GO FURTHER
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Notre Dame throttled Navy final week to enhance to 7-2. So what can the Combating Irish be taught from such a dominant efficiency?
Right here is Notre Dame author Pete Sampson following the team’s rout against Navy:
💬“If each nice group is player-led, Notre Dame felt prefer it nonetheless wanted the top coach to carry its collective hand coming into November. Which may nonetheless be the case, however Freeman might be able to loosen his grip if the Irish can stack Saturdays like this one collectively.”
Here’s a statistical comparability for the 2 quarterbacks enjoying immediately:
It’s been one other incredible season for Jeremiyah Love. The Notre Dame operating again has 988 dashing yards on 154 carries. His 13 dashing touchdowns lead the nation.
Love is likely one of the causes for Notre Dame's resurgence. He will probably be an element immediately towards Pitt.
