SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Josh Adams scored on a 98-yard run, the longest scoring play from scrimmage in Notre Dame history, and defensive end Andrew Trumbetti scored on a 28-yard interception as the sixth-ranked Fighting Irish beat Wake Forest 28-7 Saturday despite struggling offensively.
Adams started and ran for 141 yards with Notre Dame’s leading rusher C.J. Prosise sidelined while recovering from a concussion. Adams, who was fourth on the Irish depth chart in the preseason, posted his second straight 100-yard game and third of the season.
DeShone Kizer added touchdown runs of 12 and five yards for the Irish (9-1, No. 4 CFP).
Quarterback John Wolford scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter for Wake Forest (3-7), but the Demon Deacons squandered three other red-zone opportunities.
The Irish were held to less than 400 yards of total offense for the first time this season as Wake Forest outgained Notre Dame 340 yards to 282. Kizer was 13 of 19 for 111 yards. Will Fuller, who was averaging 100 yards a game receiving, was limited to three catches for 37 yards.
Wolford was 19 of 30 for 219 yards with one interception for the Demon Deacons. Tyler Bell rushed for 90 yards on 23 carries.
The most memorable play was the run by Adams in the second quarter to give Notre Dame a 21-0 lead.
The Irish started with the ball on the 1-yard line when Bell was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-goal.
Kizer then picked up a yard.
Adams took the ensuing handoff, broke one tackle then stiff-armed defensive back Ryan Janvion and ran untouched the rest of the way up the right sideline for the 98-yard score. It was the longest rushing play in Notre Dame history, surpassing the 92-yard run by Bob Livingstone against USC in 1947. It’s also the longest play from scrimmage ever for the Irish. The previous best was a 96-yard pass from Blair Kiel to Joe Howard against Georgia Tech in 1981.
It was the second touchdown run of at least 90 yards this season for Notre Dame. Prosise had a 91-yard score against Georgia Tech on Sept. 19. There had only been two TD runs that long in the previous 126 seasons of Notre Dame football.
Kizer opened the scoring with a 14-yard run on a keeper, cutting right and then left and running untouched into the end zone for a 7-0 lead. Trumbetti made it 14-0 when Wolford attempted a pass and it slipped out of his hand. Trumbetti caught it and ran in for the score. It marked the seventh straight game where the Irish had an interception.
Notre Dame also scored on a 5-yard run by Kizer, who faked the handoff to Adams, who drew all the defenders, allowing Kizer to run into the end zone untouched.
The Demon Deacons squandered a pair of scoring chances in the first half.
Notre Dame defensive end Sheldon Day stopped Bell for no gain on fourth-and-goal early in the second quarter.
The Demon Deacons also drove to the Notre Dame 11-yard line just before halftime, but Notre Dame defensive lineman Romeo Okwara leaped over Bell and sacked Wolford for a 7-yard loss. On the same play, receiver Cortez Lewis was called for a personal foul for pulling the helmet off cornerback Cole Luke. Mike Weaver then missed a 51-yard field goal attempt.
Okwara finished with three sacks for the Irish.
The Demon Deacons drove to the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter. But on first-and-goal, Wolford fumbled the ball for an eight-yard loss. On fourth-and-goal from the 7, Wolford threw incomplete to tight end Cam Serigne.
The Demon Deacons scored their lone touchdown in the third quarter after Notre Dame linebacker Te’von Coney was called for roughing the snapper on a punt, keeping Wake Forest’s drive alive.
Alex Kinal had three punts, breaking the NCAA record for career punts with 323. The previous mark of 322 was set by California’s Nick Harris from 1997 to 2000.
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