ESPN College Football

Notre Dame placed 20 players on Phil Steele's preseason all-independent team, including 13 on the first team.

BYU was a close second with 18. Army and Navy each had seven.

The usual suspects (Cierre Wood, Manti Te'o, Tyler Eifert) make the first team, as does Notre Dame's entire starting defensive line, even without transfer Aaron Lynch. There are some leaps of faith here, but that's to be expected when picking 52 total players from a pool of just four schools, as many players are unproven. Bennett Jackson and Christian Lombard will likely be first-year starters, and who knows if Davonte Neal will even get the chance to return punts during his first year with the Irish.

Here are all of the Notre Dame players on Steele's preseason all-independent team:

FIRST TEAM

• RB Cierre Wood
• WR Theo Riddick
• TE Tyler Eifert
• C Braxston Cave
• OG Chris Watt
• OT Zack Martin
• DL Stephon Tuitt
• DL Louis Nix
• DL Kapron Lewis-Moore
• LB Manti Te'o
• CB Bennett Jackson
• S Jamoris Slaughter
• KR George Atkinson

SECOND TEAM

• WR TJ Jones
• OT Christian Lombard
• LB Prince Shembo
• S Zeke Motta
• K Kyle Brindza
• P Ben Turk
• PR Davonte Neal

As part of the "College Football Live" 100 Days 'Til Kickoff countdown, here's a look at Notre Dame's top 10 players.

1. Manti Te'o: The senior passed up NFL millions and returns as perhaps the top inside linebacker in the nation. He will look to build off consecutive 120-plus-tackle campaigns and anchor a front seven primed to take the next step under third-year coordinator Bob Diaco.

2. Tyler Eifert: Like Te'o, Eifert deferred NFL dollars and dreams to return for one more year. And, like Te'o, Eifert may just be the nation's best player at his position. But the tight end will resemble more of a receiver this season, moving all over the field and serving as the No. 1 target for whoever ends up throwing the ball for Notre Dame.

3. Cierre Wood: Coming off a 1,000-yard season in which he lost snaps to Jonas Gray late in the campaign, Wood returns as the Irish's No. 1 running back. Depth in the backfield may keep carries down again, but Wood figures to have another strong season with a proven line blocking for him.

4. Jamoris Slaughter: He probably won't be a first-round draft pick the way Harrison Smith was, but the fifth-year senior is a versatile playmaker who can move up and play linebacker while serving as the voice for a young secondary.

5. Stephon Tuitt: He didn't put up the big numbers of fellow class member Aaron Lynch, but he may be even better. Tuitt has shown the versatility to play end and nose guard, and he will only get better after bursting onto the scene as a freshman.

6. Zack Martin: Want to know what helps with the quarterback transition the most? A proven offensive line. At left tackle, Martin keys that group as he enters his senior year with 26 straight starts under his belt (two at right tackle).

7. Theo Riddick: You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who stood out more this spring. The running back/slot receiver is a playmaker when he gets the ball in his hands. If he can stay healthy and succeed as a punt returner, he will find his name much higher on this list a few months from now.

8. Braxston Cave: Another veteran piece on this line, Cave stars in the middle and is an important locker room voice. Limited this spring after a foot injury sidelined him late last season, Cave is back for a fifth year, his third in a row as the starting center.

9. Louis Nix: A subpar spring forced Nix behind Kona Schwenke on the depth chart, but the nose guard is an invaluable cog in the middle for the Irish's young line. A strong preseason camp -- and a capable replacement in Schwenke -- should only make Nix better in his second year of game action. (He redshirted his freshman year.)

10. George Atkinson III: Atkinson returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns as a freshman. Now, he's hoping that playmaking ability translates on the offensive side of the ball. He netted 178 yards of offense in the spring game but coughed it up twice, and he'll have to ease the staff's concerns since Wood and Riddick are ahead of him.

Who made names for themselves this spring? Glad you asked.

RB/WR Theo Riddick: Riddick seemed more comfortable this spring, as the learning curve from playing two different positions is all but gone and he is ready to make plays. The senior stood out during several intrasquad scrimmages. If Riddick can be an effective punt returner this fall, he can be the complete package for the Irish.

WR John Goodman: It's not often you see a fifth-year senior on lists like these, but Goodman, as coach Brian Kelly said, was the Irish's go-to guy this spring, and he served as an offensive captain in the Blue-Gold game as a result of being the unit's most improved player. No longer in the shadow of Michael Floyd and with one last chance to succeed after being invited back for another year, Goodman is primed for a breakout season this fall.

NG Kona Schwenke: Like Goodman, Schwenke was a captain in the Blue-Gold game, winning most improved defensive player honors while temporarily supplanting Louis Nix from the starting spot in the middle. He added some weight and improved his handwork, and he figures to see plenty of snaps next season, regardless of whether or not he starts.

LB Ishaq Williams: Kelly revealed that Williams went home to Brooklyn, N.Y., for a few days in the winter to think about his future. He has apparently come back with a new focus, as the rising sophomore had a strong spring, filling in for the injured Prince Shembo at the cat position and coming up with a pick and a fumble recovery in the spring game.

LB Jarrett Grace: Playing time may be hard to come by -- he is, after all, backing up a likely first-round draft pick in Manti Te'o -- but Grace has made the most of his opportunities. Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco loved him this spring, and, after redshirting his freshman season, Grace figures to spell Te'o every now and then this fall while also seeing duties on special teams.

Following consecutive 8-5 campaigns, Notre Dame entered this spring with a re-shuffled staff, a wide-open quarterback competition and arguably one of the nation's best defensive lines.

So, uh, about those three new assistants ...

"I love the energy out there, I love what I'm hearing in terms of teaching," head coach Brian Kelly said April 4, roughly halfway through the spring. "Guys are teaching and I can hear it. So for me it's exactly what I need to hear from our coaches. There's a lot of teaching going on, there's a lot of energy. So for me I feel really good about going out to practice, and what I hear I really like."

Nine days after that comment, defensive end Aaron Lynch announced his decision to transfer, eventually ending up with Notre Dame alum Skip Holtz at South Florida. A series of cryptic Twitter posts by nose guard Louis Nix in the days after Lynch's departure unsettled an already-uneasy fan base, and Nix's admittedly honest public comments afterward about having missed his Florida home did little to quell Irish fans' worst fears.

Then came the spring game, Everett Golson's coming-out party. The rising sophomore quarterback completed 11 of 15 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns, adding 25 yards on six rushes. Most importantly, he was the only of the four quarterbacks to not turn the ball over.

If that wasn't enough for Golson to improve his chances of starting in 2012 -- Kelly said afterward that he had trouble getting plays in on time -- the events of May 3 certainly did.

Tommy Rees, the only of the four signal-callers with starting experience, was charged with four misdemeanors as a result of his arrest at an off-campus house party. Police said that they had to use pepper spray to subdue Rees, who faces two counts of resisting law enforcement, in addition to minor consumption and battery.

So begins an offseason whose storyline, like last year's with Michael Floyd, will be dominated by an off-field run-in by a big-name player. Rees is due in court May 17, but his status with the Irish remains up in the air. Discipline of any kind -- even an offseason suspension -- would strongly diminish his hopes of taking the first snap Sept. 1 in Dublin, Ireland.

Kelly said after the spring game that the guy to emerge as the starter will be the one who commits to all the details in the summer. Golson and Andrew Hendrix — in addition to early enrollee Gunner Kiel — would be in much better positions to do that should Rees be dealt a ban. Regardless, leadership issue becomes an obvious question in light of the arrest.

Whoever does start should have plenty to work with in proven playmakers like Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick and Tyler Eifert. He will also be protected by an experienced offensive line, which returns four players with starting experience.

Linebacker Manti Te'o, who passed up NFL millions this offseason, returns to lead a defense that should still be strong enough up front, though a depleted cornerback corp could have benefited from playing behind an elite pass-rusher like Lynch.

A season that begins overseas is still four months away, but the drama attached to the hip of the nation's most polarizing program has only increased with spring ball in the rearview mirror.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Aaron Lynch would often call Manti Te'o his big brother, the two most talented Notre Dame defensive recruits in years bonding over the high expectations and even the distance away from home that each had to deal with in college.

So Te'o was a little surprised once he heard the news Friday that Lynch would be transferring at semester's end. But the linebacker knows there is a line that should not be crossed, and he is protective of his former teammate when it comes to the vitriol Lynch has dealt with from outsiders in light of his decision to go to another school.

"It hurt, because like I said, I cared about Aaron the kid, not the player," Te'o said. "Everybody else cares about what he does and it's obvious, because the poor kid is getting heat. That's not fair. That's not fair for a 19-year-old to be hounded by people online on his Facebook and stuff like that. So as an older brother I look at that and I'm just there for him — 'Hey, don't read that stuff. Just you do what you've got to do. And your family here at Notre Dame will always love you no matter what.' And he knows that, and like I said, I'm going to miss the kid."

Defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore, who had been working with the second team this spring, will move into Lynch's spot. The fifth-year senior started a majority of the past three seasons for the Irish anyway, though he missed the last six games of 2011 because of a right knee injury.

"It's always shocking when you have somebody that talented leaving this university," Lewis-Moore said. "We're really going to miss Aaron, but at the same time we wish him the best. But we've got to kind of move on from that, there's no hard feelings."

Kelly said several times following Saturday's practice — the team's first since Lynch announced he would transfer — that the transition without the 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive end had been "seamless."

The third-year Irish coach acknowledged that the balance of coaching football and playing team psychologist is part of his job description, something he has gotten used to doing every day in what is going on a 22-year college head-coaching career.

"They're 18-21 year-olds, and they're going to have good days and bad days, so I think I'm constantly trying to be in touch with it," Kelly said. "I know our coaches try really hard, but that social worker, that psychologist, I think that all goes into being a good coach and a good teacher."

Lynch, who had not been shy in acknowledging the difficulties of his transition to college in a new region, is likely transferring to a school closer to his hometown of Cape Coral, Fla.,

Te'o dealt with many similar challenges upon his arrival to Notre Dame three years ago, especially coming all the way from Laie, Hawaii.

"When I was young there were many times after practice where I just said, 'I don't want to be here,' you know what I mean?" Te'o recalled. "But it's a growing process, you have to mature. It's hard. I think it's hard wherever you go, whether you're at Notre Dame, you're at USC — you're away from home. And for a young 18-, 19-year old, not being able to come home and see Mom and Dad and your siblings and have a home-cooked meal waiting for you, and coming here and you finish practice and you have to find out, what are you going to eat? Where am I going to go? Do I got to wash my clothes? Do I got to wash the dishes?

"It's a culture shock, so there were those days though. Fortunately for me, I just fought through it and I stuck it out, and that's one thing I want my little brother to experience. I wanted him to stick it out and reap the benefits of sticking it out and being here at Notre Dame and taking care of his family, but I know he'll take care of his family wherever he goes."

Our breakdown of Notre Dame's 2012 roster continues today with the defensive side of the ball.

DEFENSIVE LINE

The players: Aaron Lynch, Louis Nix, Stephon Tuitt, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Tony Springmann, Chase Hounshell, Sheldon Day, Tyler Stockton, Kona Schwenke

The incoming: Jarron Jones, Romeo Okwara

The breakdown: Injuries forced all three current starters — Lynch, Nix and Tuitt — to play much more than expected last season, and none disappointed. They are all second-year players now, and their pass-rushing ability should have opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks on their heels. Lewis-Moore has been cleared for spring following a season-ending knee injury in 2011 but might not start, though he will likely see plenty of playing time as the line rotates. Hounshell (shoulder surgery) is not cleared yet, but he will likely see significant time this fall after playing as a true freshman last year as well.

LINEBACKERS

The players: Danny Spond, Manti Te'o, Dan Fox, Prince Shembo, Kendall Moore, Ishaq Williams, Anthony Rabasa, Carlo Calabrese, Jarrett Grace, Justin Utopo, Connor Little, Ben Councell, Joe Schmidt

The incoming: None

The breakdown: As we said with Tyler Eifert yesterday, everyone knows what Te'o is capable of, as he likely would have been a first-round NFL draft pick had he left school following his junior year. Fox and Calabrese shared the other inside role last year, and their experience should prove valuable. Shembo has been working at the cat spot this spring, and up-and-coming talents like Williams and Spond figure to see extensive playing time.

SECONDARY

The players: Bennett Jackson, Jamoris Slaughter, Zeke Motta, Lo Wood, Josh Atkinson, Austin Collinsworth, Dan McCarthy, Jalen Brown, Cam McDaniel, Eilar Hardy, Chris Salvi, Joe Romano, Will Salvi, Connor Cavalaris, Matthias Farley, Blake Breslau

The incoming: Elijah Shumate, Nicky Baratti, C.J. Prosise, John Turner

The breakdown: The loss of Tee Shepard really stings this group, which is down to four scholarship corners with a combined zero career starts. Jackson and Wood are in position to take over as the new starters, and playing time last season should help with the transition. At safety, Slaughter and Motta saw plenty of time the last two seasons, and Slaughter in particular has shown a nose for the ball and the capability of providing a leadership force that Harrison Smith is leaving behind. Collinsworth will likely also see plenty of snaps after playing last year.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Manti Te'o's goal for his senior year is simple.

"I wanna win," the linebacker said. "I wanna win and win and win and win, that's the bottom line."

All but assured of being selected in the first round of next month's NFL draft had he declared for it, Te'o instead announced his return to Notre Dame in December, making him the de facto quarterback of a front seven looking to take yet another step after a strong finish to 2010 and a stout 2011 campaign.

"Just being the best, just making sure that we play four quarters of Notre Dame football," Te'o said of the defense's next step. "We've been great at times, we've been great in some games, we've been great for three quarters, we've been great for 3 1/2 quarters but half a quarter we didn't play great and it cost us. So just playing four quarters of Notre Dame football I think is what we have to focus on, and we're getting there. I think we're there, it's just a little mental hump we just gotta get over."

Te'o had team bests last season of 128 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss, and trailed only Aaron Lynch for the lead in sacks, with five.

Before he announced that he was coming back to school, Te'o challenged defensive coordinator Bob Diaco to coach him as the worst linebacker or as a freshman so that he could improve.

"He hasn't treated me bad, but he's been great," Te'o laughed after the Irish's first spring practice Wednesday. "He's corrected me and all my little mistakes, making sure that I can identify them and when I make a mistake I know what I did and know where it started from so I don't make as many mistakes as I did.

"Just be technical, so that my game is as perfect as can be."

On what he called his last first day of spring, Te'o said it will be hard to avoid getting emotional at times during his upcoming senior season. But as he has done so many times before, he stressed that the return to school was about more than just the gridiron, as the camaraderie of those in his dorm, win or lose, along with on-campus events like pep rallies are experiences he was not yet ready to give up despite the temptations of the next level.

"Moments like these where I'm with my guys, you can't beat this," Te'o said. "Being here at Notre Dame, knowing that I'm gonna graduate, knowing that I'm gonna go on a senior walk, just knowing all those things that I made the right decision for me. Everybody has their own beliefs and I believe that this is why I came here, is to graduate, to build relationships and to make my family proud, and I think I've done that."

Feels like just yesterday we were in Orlando, no? Yet just a little more than a month from now, spring practice will be underway, and at Notre Dame, there is plenty to be sorted out before the 2012 season kicks off this fall.

NOTRE DAME

Spring practice start date: March 21
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle. Four candidates, one spot. Two played last year, two others were ballyhooed recruits. Oh, and there's a new QB coach, too. Former safeties coach Chuck Martin will coordinate the offense and direct the signal-callers, jobs he held as Grand Valley State's head coach from 2004-09.
• Reshuffled staff: Martin wasn't the only one making a change. No one from Notre Dame's offensive staff last season holds the same title in 2012, with Harry Hiestand (offensive line/running game coordinator) and Scott Booker (tight ends/special teams coordinator) providing new faces. Bob Elliott comes from Iowa State to replace Martin as safeties coach. For some current players, 2012 will mark a third different position coach within a four-year span.
• How good can this front seven be? Likely first-round draft pick Manti Te'o returns for his senior year to captain the defense, but that job may be much easier with the talent in front of him. Sophomore ends Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt exploded onto the scene in their freshman seasons, and junior noseguard Louis Nix proved to be a force in the middle. The pass rush could be devastating, making life much easier for a secondary that will likely feature three new starters.

Can you feel the love?

Everyone's favorite holiday is today, and so we will take the time here to send out a few Valentines to those who have caught the eye of Notre Dame nation this past season.

Gunner Kiel: Your surprise arrival on campus saved Notre Dame's recruiting class and has reinvigorated this fan base. You have never taken a college snap; no one knows what to expect; and you're currently the least experienced of the four undergrads competing for the starting quarterback job. In other words, you are currently the most popular, likable player on the roster. If nothing else, you deserve a little love after Les Miles' cheap shot on national signing day.

Cierre Wood: Jonas Gray received much of the attention for his breakout season. All anyone wants to talk about now is Amir Carlisle or Will Mahone. But you rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, a feat that should not be overlooked. Here's a little appreciation for a stellar junior campaign.

T.J. Jones: Let's just say this day has had your name on it ever since Brian Kelly's now-infamous, purple-shaded face ripped into you on the sidelines in Week 1.

Tyler Eifert/Manti Te'o: You two passed up potential millions because of your love of school. That love should be reciprocated today. Glad to have you back.

Aaron Lynch: Your outstanding freshman season shows that you have a bright future. But please stop committing penalties after the whistle. Days like today can help bring out your softer side, which could help tone down some of your antics and keep your team out of harm's way. Then, Irish fans will really love you.

Dan Fox: Because Fabio is probably jealous of that long hair of yours.

Tony Alford: An interview with the Packers is flattering. And though you said your heart tells you that Notre Dame is where you belong -- NFL offer or not -- we figured a little extra love couldn't hurt, in case you have any second thoughts.

Ozzy Osbourne: Irish fans rallied against you more than anyone else this year. For that, you deserve some love on this special day.

It's time to hand out some last-minute hardware for those who stood out for Notre Dame in its 18-14 Champs Sports Bowl loss to Florida State. Since we're dealing with one team and not one conference, we'll limit it to sides of the ball and not position.

Offense: Tyler Eifert. The junior caught a game-high six passes for 90 yards, hurting the Seminoles over the middle time and time again. His performance was all the more important with Michael Floyd sidelined much of the second half after suffering an upper-body injury during his third-quarter touchdown catch.

Defense: Manti Te'o. Another junior who could have been playing in his final college game had he wanted to, the linebacker had a game-high 13 tackles and set up Notre Dame's first touchdown, forcing a fumble in the first quarter that Zeke Motta returned 29 yards for a touchdown.

Special teams: George Atkinson III. Ben Turk deserves an honorable mention for pinning FSU at its own 1 with a 49-yard punt with 5:02 to go, setting up a three-and-out and great field position for the Irish's last chance. Floyd deserves recognition for his 41-yard punt return in the first quarter. But Atkinson stood out on both sides, returning the second half's first kickoff 37 yards to set up Notre Dame's only touchdown drive. He tackled Lamarcus Joyner on the following kick, which Joyner returned 77 yards, setting up an FSU field goal.

Another 8-5 season left a lot to be desired for Notre Dame fans. Nonetheless, there were plenty of memorable moments from the Irish's 2011 campaign.

1. Jonas Gray's remarkable stretch. Coach Brian Kelly said he had never seen it all click for a senior the way he had with Gray. The running back rushed for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns, including at least one in eight consecutive games. Unfortunately, he tore an ACL against Boston College, ending his college career. But when on the field, Gray was the feel-good story of 2011.

2. Manti Te'o announces return. This might have come off the field, but the likely first-round pick couldn't help but blurt out his announcement to return to school for one more year Dec. 11, while at the Lott IMPACT Trophy ceremony. The junior linebacker is the team's best all-around player and exemplifies all that's right about the game, on and off the field.

3. Aaron Lynch's sack and forced fumble vs. MSU. One week after not playing at Michigan, the freshman end announced his arrival to college football, turning the game around with a big hit on Kirk Cousins in what went on to be the Irish's first victory, and their most impressive one. Lynch had a standout freshman campaign and will be a star for the Irish moving forward. Robert Blanton's game-sealing interception deserves some recognition as well.

4. Michael Floyd's TD vs. FSU. A ridiculous five bobbles. Two defenders absorbed. An upper-body injury suffered that kept him out of the rest of the game. Still, the senior held on for his 100th catch of the season, and final one of his career, as Floyd hauled in Notre Dame's only offensive touchdown in the Champs Sports Bowl.

5. Andrew Hendrix's run vs. Air Force. Late in the fourth quarter of a rout, the sophomore quarterback burst up the middle for 78 yards, his legs giving out two yards shy of the end zone. Hendrix turned plenty of heads in his first college game, and he will fight it out with two others this offseason for the starting quarterback job with two others.

Notre Dame's 2011 season has been over for nearly two full weeks, but things haven't exactly been quiet in South Bend, Ind. Here's what has gone down in the young offseason.

1. Tyler Eifert is back. This is the best news for Notre Dame in the wake of its 18-14 Champs Sports Bowl loss to Florida State. Eifert was the Irish's second-leading receiver in 2011, will be the key to the passing attack next season and joins linebacker Manti Te'o in passing on a potentially high NFL draft selection to return to Notre Dame for his senior season.

2. There are still staff uncertainties. Tim Hinton (running backs) and Ed Warinner (offensive line/running gamer coordinator) are gone, not long after Charley Molnar took over head-coaching duties at Massachusetts. Offensive intern Scott Booker is now a full-time staff member, though his position has yet to be announced. Chuck Martin has moved from safeties coach to offensive coordinator. Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco is now an assistant head coach. Cornerbacks coach Kerry Cooks is now a co-defensive coordinator. Everyone has received a contract extension as well, as Brian Kelly received a two-year bump through 2016 on Tuesday. There are still two open positions on staff, however.

3. New face in the backfield. Former USC running back Amir Carlisle is transferring to Notre Dame. The freshman will have to sit out the 2012 season under NCAA rules after a first year with the Trojans that saw him tally 118 rushing yards on 19 carries and 41 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven catches.

Tyler Eifert will return to Notre Dame for his senior season, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Notre Dame has yet to make an official announcement.

The Mackey Award finalist hauled in 63 catches for 803 yards and five touchdowns during his junior year, which culminated with a game-high six grabs for 90 yards in the Irish's Champs Sports Bowl loss to Florida State Dec. 29.

Eifert's return to school will likely make him the focal point of Notre Dame's offense in 2012. He earned All-America honors from Walter Camp (first team) and the Associated Press (second team) this season.

Scouts Inc.'s Steve Muench had Eifert fourth among draft-eligible tight ends entering bowl season, writing that any of the top four at that position could be drafted in the first two rounds.

Eifert joins linebacker Manti Te'o as highly touted underclassmen returning to Notre Dame for their senior seasons.

This news cannot be understated for the Irish, who will be without receiver Michael Floyd and have a huge uncertainty at the quarterback position. The 6-foot-6, 249-pound Eifert is as reliable a target there is and was a threat over the middle all season long for the Irish.

1) Another quarterback controversy awaits: Dayne Crist beat out Tommy Rees going into 2011, then lost his job after one half. Andrew Hendrix replaced Rees after the first half of the last regular-season game, and neither impressed in shared action during the Champs Sports Bowl. Freshman Everett Golson sat out this season and figures to compete in the three-man offseason race that can play a big role in determining Notre Dame's 2012 season and beyond.

2) Turnovers are killer: Evidently this wasn't learned, as Notre Dame began its season with a goal-line fumble and five-turnover performance in a loss and ended it with a pair of end-zone interceptions that proved costly in a game in which offensive opportunities were hard to come by.

3) The front seven has bright days ahead of it: Five sacks, seven tackles for loss and four hurries have to get Notre Dame fans excited about the future of the front-seven, especially the young defensive line. In their first years playing, Aaron Lynch, Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix all stood out, making life miserable for E.J. Manuel and the Florida State offensive line for three quarters. Throw in the return of Manti Te'o next season and the pass rush could be lethal.

4) Special teams actually played in ND's favor: Few expected that given the teams' performances in the regular season. But Michael Floyd's 41-yard punt return was 38 yards more than Notre Dame's net punt return yards on the season, George Atkinson had a 37-yard kick return to open the second half that set up a touchdown drive and Ben Turk pinned FSU at the 1 when Notre Dame needed him to most. Of course, a 77-yard return by Lamarcus Joyner stings, but Notre Dame's defense made sure the Seminoles got only three points out of the field position.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Notre Dame's offense was actually in position to score twice, which gives it the slight edge over Florida State's attack right now. Fittingly, a defensive touchdown has been the difference through 30 minutes so far.

Turning point: Manti Te'o hit Devonta Freeman, forcing the ball loose. Zeke Motta scooped it up and went 29 yards untouched for the only score of the game, giving Notre Dame a 7-0 lead. The play was all the more significant after the Irish gave away their chance earlier, as Tommy Rees threw an interception into the end zone on first-and-goal from the 4. Honorable mention goes to Michael Floyd's drop of a deep ball thrown by Rees on first-and-10 from the Irish 37.

Stat of the half: Floyd returned the game's first punt 41 yards, setting the Irish up at the Seminoles 37-yard line. Considering Notre Dame notched just three total yards in punt returns all season long, this takes the cake as best stat of the half.

Best player in the half: Jamoris Slaughter has a pair of sacks, a Champs Sports Bowl record. Really, the entire Notre Dame defensive front deserves a share of this honor. The Irish have sacked E.J. Manuel four times and have made life miserable for the Seminoles' offense, which also has a pair of false starts and is responsible for the game's only touchdown — just not in its favor. The Irish offense has not fared much better, actually getting outgained, 104 yards to 91. Rees has been sacked twice. Andrew Hendrix saw action on just one series.