South Bend, IN (Sports Network) - Andre Dixon scored on a four-yard touchdown run in the second overtime, as the Connecticut Huskies finally pulled out a close game and beat Notre Dame, 33-30 at Notre Dame Stadium.
UCONN Tops Notre Dame In OT 33-30; Irish, Charlie Weis Fall To 6-5
Dixon finished with 114 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, while backfield mate Jordan Todman had 130 yards and a TD on 26 carries. The Huskies (5-5) entered the game with three straight losses, and all five of their losses this season have come by four points or less.
Jimmy Clausen threw for 329 yards and two scores for Notre Dame (6-5), although the Irish fell for the third straight game. Armando Allen carried 24 times for 106 yards, while Golden Tate (9 rec, 123 yds, TD) and Michael Floyd (8 rec, 104 yds, TD) once again headlined the receiving corps.
Clausen got the Irish on the board first with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Tate with 10:59 to play in the opening quarter.
The score would remain 7-0 until the 14:32 mark of the second quarter, when Clausen capped an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive with a one-yard scoring plunge to put Notre Dame on top, 14-0.
The Huskies cut the deficit to 14-7 on their next possession, when Todman broke free for a 43-yard touchdown run.
UConn made it a 14-10 game late in the second quarter on a 39-yard field goal by Dave Teggart.
The Irish pushed their lead back to seven after David Ruffer kicked a 20-yard field goal at the 9:29 mark of the third quarter.
But Todman returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to make it a 17-17 game.
After the teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter, the UConn defense recovered a fumble at the Notre Dame 41 with 49 seconds to play. Teggart had a chance to give UConn the victory at the end of regulation, but his 37-yard field goal sailed wide left as time expired.
UConn's first overtime possession yielded an 11-yard touchdown pass from Zach Frazer to Kashif Moore. But Clausen answered right back for ND with a four- yard scoring strike to Floyd.
The Irish weren’t able to move the chains to open the second overtime, and they had to settle for a Ruffer field goal.
On UConn’s next possession, Todman got the ball down to the ND 16 with a nine- yard scamper, and Dixon did the rest.
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