Live updates, score, analysis: Notre Dame football vs. Wake Forest

Notre Dame football closes out its home slate against Wake Forest at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in in South Bend. The Demon Deacons come in at 4-6, fighting for bowl eligibility. The Fighting Irish are looking to improve to 8-3 in head coach Marcus Freeman‘s second season with one game left.

Follow along for BlueandGold.com‘s live game updates, score and analysis from Notre Dame Stadium as the Irish take on Wake Forest.

First quarter

• Wake Forest has won the toss and elected to defer. Notre Dame will start with the ball.

• The Irish open the game with an ugly-looking three-and-out, which started with a drop by senior wide receiver Chris Tyree.

• Wake Forest picked up a first down on a Benjamin Morrison pass interference, but Notre Dame got off the field without much trouble and will get the ball back at its own 20-yard line. The pass rush looks particularly good for the Irish, with each rusher staying in their lane and collapsing the pocket.

• Notre Dame fails to pick up points on its second drive, as Spencer Shrader missed a 47-yard field goal wide right. Sam Hartman has not looked sharp early, and Audric Estimé is averaging 3.2 yards per carry. The Irish’s best offensive play so far has been a pass-interference call.

• Wake Forest punts again after a Javontae Jean-Baptiste sack ends the Demon Deacons’ drive.

• Touchdown, Irish. Absolutely no one covered Devyn Ford, and Hartman took advantage. Ford scored his first touchdown with the Irish, who take a late-first quarter lead. Notre Dame 7, Wake Forest 0.

Second quarter

• Touchdown, Demon Deacons. Running back Tate Carney takes it in from 9 yards out and ties the game at 7. The big plays were a 17-yard reverse-pass and a 20-yard double-pass attempt, which wound up turning into a run. Notre Dame 7, Wake Forest 7

• Touchdown, Irish. They answer right back with a 35-yard score to Tobias Merriweather, who has been getting open deep today. The throw from Hartman was a layup. Notre Dame 14, Wake Forest 7.

• The Irish take a 17-7 lead into halftime, thanks in large part to Jean-Baptiste blocking a field goal. Notre Dame put a 2-minute drive together in the ensuing 90 seconds, and while it didn’t end well, it got the Irish 3 points before the half on a Spencer Shrader field goal. Notre Dame 17, Wake Forest 7

Third quarter

• Wake Forest starts with the ball at its own 25-yard line.

• Notre Dame took less than a minute to break this game wide open. JD Bertrand forced a fumble on a sack that Rylie Mills recovered, giving the Irish the ball at the Wake Forest 19-yard line. Hartman found Eli Raridon with an absolute dime for Raridon’s first career touchdown reception on the very next play. Notre Dame 24, Wake Forest 7.

• On the ensuing kickoff, the Irish kicked onside and DJ Brown recovered it. The home team gets the ball back.

• Notre Dame’s offense ran the ball on third-and-11 one play after an Estimé run lost 6 yards. The results were predictable, and the Irish punted.

• Faced with a second-and-1 from the Irish 46-yard line, Wake Forest ran twice and couldn’t pick up the first down. Jack Kiser and Howard Cross III combined for the fourth-down stop, and the Irish took over on downs.

• Touchdown, Irish. They drove down to the 2-yard line and Estimé did the rest. This one is pretty much wrapped up. Notre Dame 31, Wake Forest 7

Fourth quarter

• The Irish extended their lead with a 48-yard, catch-and-run touchdown for Jaden Greathouse. It was his first score since Week 2. Notre Dame 38, Wake Forest 7.