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Notre Dame

WATCH: Kyren Williams bounces outside for Notre Dame score

photos -jpgby:Ashton Pollard•10/02/21•

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After being shoutout in the first half for the first time since 2007, Notre Dame finally got a score. 

With 1:26 to go in the third quarter, Irish running back Kyren Williams bounced outside and scampered into the end zone for six from three yards out.

Williams led the Irish run game on the day with 13 carries for 45 yards plus the touchdown, his third of the year on the ground.

Redshirt freshman Drew Pyne took over for a struggling Jack Coan at the start of the second half. While Pyne is not a dual-threat quarterback at his core, he is more mobile than Coan. Pyne led the Irish to victory over Wisconsin last week, but went 9-for-22 with 143 yards and a 32-yard touchdown pass to Braden Lenzy, his first of the season.

Coan went 14-for-22 with 114 yards and an interception in the first half.

One of the top tight ends in the country, Michael Mayer, led the Irish offense with eight receptions for 93 yards. After limping off the field in the fourth quarter, Mayer went to the medical tent. He came back into the game for a fourth down conversion, and limped off the field again.

Irish fall to Bearcats 24-13

Notre Dame suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 4-1, and lost their first home game since September 2017.

Notre Dame’s defense largely kept running back Jerome Ford in check, as he had 17 carries for 67 yards. He led the Bearcats’ rushing attack. Of course, a focus on Ford opened up the passing game for Cincinnati, and the Bearcats spent the afternoon exploiting the Irish secondary.

Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder went 19-for-32 for 297 yards and three total touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground.

Cincinnati will likely be favored in the remainder of their games, and they could be the first Group of Five team to crash the College Football Playoff party, especially given the turmoil that has happened amongst the traditional powers.

Notre Dame heads to Blacksburg next week to take on 3-1 Virginia Tech. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.