USA TODAY: "Notre Dame Got Screwed..."

Here's what a writer from USA Today had to say about the penalty call that forever changed the outcome of the game between Notre Dame and Florida State last night...

LINK:  USA TODAY

Jimbo Fisher's Post Game Press Conference

The Florida State Seminoles' Jimbo Fisher talks about their 31 - 27 win over Notre Dame last night...

LINK:  JIMBO FISHER PRESSER

Jameis Winston Talks Win Over Notre Dame

Florida State QB Jameis Winston talks with the media after their victory last night over our Fighting Irish -- note the media handler...

LINK:  WINSTON

The Mornin' After "THE TALLAHASSEE FLAG"

We experienced a single penalty call last night that could determine a National Champion, a $6 million pay day and a Heisman Trophy winner...

Think about that.

Whatever happened to the old adage:

• "let them play..."  
• "you swallow the whistle at game's end..."
• "you let the players decide..."

Notre Dame fans are waking up to this reality this morning; "NOT in the Atlantic Coast Conference..." 

I took my customary "lap around the worldwide-web" this morning to see what the media has to say about last night's 31 - 27 controversial victory for Florida State:

LINK:  SPORTING NEWS

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

LINK:  ESPN 

LINK:  CSN CHICAGO

LINK:  ESPN #2

LINK:  CBS SPORTS #1

LINK:  CBS SPORTS #2

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  ORLANDO SENTINEL

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE

A Disturbing Officiating Trend in ACC Games

First off, the Fighting Irish were called for eight penalties in the second half of the game -- that's more penalties called in one half then were called on Notre Dame in "both halves" of the Rice, Michigan and Stanford games -- COMBINED!

Here's a disturbing trend -- in the three games the Fighting Irish have played against teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference (with ACC officials) Notre Dame has been whistled for 27 penalties.  In the four games the Fighting Irish have played against team outside of the Atlantic Coast Conference -- they have been whistled for 13 penalties -- COMBINED.

THE THREE CALLS THAT DIDN'T GO OUR WAY -- THAT CHANGED THE GAME:

1. In the third quarter -- it's 3rd down and Winston throws the ball way over the head of the receiver.  They're going to have to kick a field goal.  Penalty flag -- holding on Cody Riggs.  HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE CALL (looks like a receiver and a defensive back engaging each other / just like the last play of the game) -- just watch the replay.  Florida State gets new life and a first down on the Notre Dame three yard line -- they score a touchdown a play or two later.  4 POINT SWING.
2. In the last drive of the game.  Golson throws a pass in the left side of the endzone to Corey Robinson.  In the replay, it's obvious that FSU's Darby makes contact with Robinson well before the ball arrives -- and he never turns his head to make a play on the ball.  Usually a no-brainer for an official -- but, it's late in the game -- you let the kids play.  NO PENALTY.  It happened in the endzone -- ball would have been place on the three yard line -- first and goal Irish. 
3. Then the $6 million penalty flag -- that's the share the ACC would get, or Notre Dame would get depending on which team (FSU or Notre Dame) is in the College Football Playoff.  In the replay, you can see that both Florida State defensive backs make contact with the Notre Dame wide receivers FIRST -- and they're both holding on to to Fuller and Prosise respectively.  A PENALTY ON NOTRE DAME...  7 POINT SWING -- GAME OUTCOME DECIDED.

Coach Brian Kelly After Tonight's Game

Here is Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly after today's game with the media...

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Florida State Player Interviews After Game

Here's what the Seminoles had to say after their win over Notre Dame tonight.

I guess it's official -- they said Notre Dame held them...

LINK:  PLAYER INTERVIEWS

I AM NUMB...

We were the better team -- the best team in the country tonight...

WHO IS HOLDING WHO:  looks like the Florida State player has a hold of Prosise's jersey -- see bottom photo -- yet Prosise is called for holding.  See the second video linked below -- from a different angle...

LINK:  THE PLAY

LINK:  ANOTHER VIEW OF THE PLAY

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  FINAL STATS

Notre Dame Pre-Game Photos at Florida State

Here's the photos of Notre Dame being "tweeted" from inside Doak Campbell Stadium...

Photos From Notre Dame Fans Everywhere...

These are photos "tweeted" by Notre Dame fans getting ready for tonight's big game!

Doak Campbell Stadium 2 Hours to Kick-Off!

The folks at the Observer -- Notre Dame's student run newspaper took this video in the last few minutes from Florida State's Doak Campbell Stadium.

LINK:  VIDEO CLIP

ND & FSU: A Common Opponent -- Syracuse

I have yet to see ESPN or any media site look at how each team fared against their only common opponent this season -- Syracuse.

Here's how it looks:

SYRACUSE OFFENSE:  It's important to note that Syracuse's starting QB did not play against Florida State -- he was injured -- they went with a 2nd string and 3rd string QB (their first college action) against the Seminoles

• Versus Notre Dame:  429 total yards
• Versus Florida State:  412 total yards

• Versus Notre Dame:  294 yards passing
• Versus Florida State:  256 yards passing

• Versus Notre Dame:  135 yards rushing
• Versus Florida State:  156 yards rushing

• Versus Notre Dame:  3 for 15 on Third Down
• Versus Florida State:  7 for 14 on Third Down

SYRACUSE DEFENSE:

• Versus Notre Dame:  523 total yards
• Versus Florida State:  482 total yards

• Versus Notre Dame: 161 yards rushing
• Versus Florida State:  165 yards rushing

• Versus Notre Dame:  362 yards passing
• Versus Florida State:  317 yards passing

• Golson:  32 for 39 passing
• Winston:  30 for 36 passing

• Notre Dame:  5 turnovers against Syracuse
• Florida State:  2 turnovers against Syracuse

Photos From the Florida State Campus Today

A colleague of mine at Notre Dame -- took these photos this morning on the Florida State campus...

The bottom photo is of the home of Florida State's "Introduction to Circus" academic program.

LINK:  FSU'S CIRCUS CURRICULUM

Brady Quinn Talks Notre Dame vs. Florida State

Former Notre Dame All-American QB Brady Quinn -- who now works for FOX Sports -- was a guest on a CBS Podcast this week to talk about today's big game.  Just click on the link below:

LINK:  QUINN ON ND vs. FSU

ESPN Feature Story on Matt Hegarty...

Notre Dame's starting center -- the heart of a champion.

LINK:  HEGARTY

Notre Dame Football at Florida A&M this AM!

Brian Kelly likes to get his Fighting Irish out of the hotel for a "shake-out" the morning of a night game.  This morning was no exception as Notre Dame bussed over to Florida A&M's campus (also in Tallahassee) to work out on their football field...

Florida A&M is famous for their MARCHING 100 -- see link below:

LINK:  THE MARCHING 100

Media Coverage of Today's ND vs. FSU Game

Took a lap around the worldwide web this morning to see what was being said about today's game between our Fighting Irish and the Florida State Seminoles.

LINK:  SPORTING NEWS

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

LINK:  FOX SPORTS

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  WASHINGTON POST

LINK:  TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

LINK:  ORLANDO SENTINEL

LINK:  ELKHART TRUTH

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE

Grantland Rice Penned This 90 Years Ago...

This very day...

"Outlined against a blue-gray October sky the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below."

This was published in the New York Herald Tribune on October 18, 1924

I can just see tomorrow's headline in the South Bend Tribune:

"OUTLINED AGAINST AN AUTOGRAPHED OCTOBER SKY..."

Notre Dame's "Tune-In" Message for Recruits

This says it all...

Game Face: Notre Dame's "Four-Legged" Fans

If you have a family pet who's "dressed and ready" for today's Notre Dame game against Florida State -- send me a photo and I'll post it here. 

You can get me at TWITTER:  @NDJimSmall or on email:  jim.small@ndgoirish.com