Notre Dame shocks LSU with highlight reel TD catch in final minutes
Notre Dame came from behind to beat LSU 21-17 in the Citrus Bowl in dramatic fashion.
And the Irish did it with one of the best catches of the entire season. It was an unlikely target, too.
LSU took a 17-14 lead over the Irish on a chip shot field goal with 2:03 to play. On the third play of the ensuing Notre Dame drive, backup quarterback Ian Book, playing in place of starter Brandon Wimbush, threw one up down the right sideline to a fellow backup — junior wideout Miles Boykin.
Boykin, who entered the game with just 15 career catches, made an incredible one-handed grab over an LSU defender and took off for a 55-yard touchdown.
Here’s a closer look at Boykin’s catch. He used every bit of his 6-foot-4 frame to haul in the pass and then managed to fend off two LSU defenders before taking off the last 30 yards to the end zone.
Boykin’s touchdown, just the second of his career, gave the Irish a four-point lead, but there was still 1:28 to go. When it regained possession, LSU was able to pick up one first down but the Notre Dame defense forced a turnover on downs and held on for the victory.
Neither team could get anything going offensively in the first half. After LSU missed two field goals, Notre Dame’s Justin Yoon connected from 46 yards to give his team a 3-0 lead at the break.
For much of the second half, however, LSU controlled things. The Tigers reached the end zone twice on Danny Etling touchdown passes to star running back Derrius Guice. Another Yoon field goal was sandwiched between Guice’s two scores, but the Tigers seemed to be in control with a 14-6 lead early in the fourth.
With Wimbush struggling, Book shook off a third quarter interception to lead his team back. At the 7:49 mark of the fourth, Book found Michael Young for a six-yard score and then hit Josh Adams on a shovel pass for a two-point conversion to tie the score at 14-14.
When it regained possession, LSU went on a long drive, going 76 yards in 12 plays over the span of 5:46. But on third and goal from the 3, Guice was stopped just short and Ed Orgeron opted to send the field goal unit onto the field on fourth down. Jack Gonsoulin’s 18-yard field goal gave the lead back to LSU, but Book and Boykin ultimately made the Tigers pay for their conservative call.
Boykin finished with a career-high three catches for 102 yards while Book completed 14-of-19 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Book also added 36 yards on the ground to help his team with its 10th game of the season, completing an impressive turnaround from 2016’s 4-8 disaster.
On the other side, LSU went 9-4 in Orgeron’s first season as the full-time head coach.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
