This was, simply put, domination. In a meeting of two historic programs going in seemingly different directions, No. 11 Notre Dame put a beating on Texas in South Bend on Saturday night, winning 38-3 in a game that maybe wasn’t even that close.
2015 Texas vs. Notre Dame final score, 38-3, with 3 things to know from the Irish win
This was a beating.
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Notre Dame looked the part of a College Football Playoff contender, dominating every phase of this game. Malik Zaire, who takes over full-time quarterback duties from Everett Golson, showed that he has the skill set to make the Irish offense one of the best in the country, running and passing around, over and through the Longhorns’ defense. Even without running back Tarean Folston, who left the game early with an injury, Zaire was simply dominant with a plethora of offensive weapons at his disposal, including Will Fuller, Josh Adams and C.J. Prosise.
But it wasn’t just the offense. The defense, which struggled last season, was dominant against Texas. Sure, the Longhorns’ offense has been offensively challenged since Charlie Strong got to Austin, and that trend is likely to continue, but Jaylon Smith and the rest of this Irish defense were elite, refusing to cede any room to Tyrone Swoopes and the Texas offense.
So about that Texas offense. As expected, the Longhorns couldn’t do much of anything, and the defense wasn’t much better. Bottom line: one of these two programs is back among the national elite, and Texas still has a long way to go.
Three things to know
1. Jordan Spieth accurately summed up the Texas offense.
Texas' offense looking about as useful as my last 4 rounds....
— Jordan Spieth (@JordanSpieth) September 6, 2015 2. Is Tarean Folston going to be okay? He left early in the game and did not return. Perhaps it’s encouraging that Notre Dame could put this beatdown on Texas WITHOUT its star running back, but for the Irish to be a legitimate Playoff contender — and they might be — they’re going to want Folston back as soon as possible.
3. Where does Texas go from here? Clearly, the offensive issues from 2014 have not been solved. Notre Dame is a top-tier opponent, but the Longhorns have a lot of soul-searching to do.
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