By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - A huge fourth quarter offensive explosion by Notre Dame led the No. 8 Irish to 41-21 victory over Tennessee Saturday.
The win made Notre Dame, now 6-2, eligible for a bowl for the second straight season. If the Irish win their final three games against Navy, Syracuse and Stanford, they would be eligible for a Bowl Championship Series for the first time since 2000.
Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who was 20-of-33 for 295 yards, threw two touchdown passes in just one minute to give the Irish a 14-0 lead.
The first pass was to Anthony Fasano, who ran in the 43-yard touchdown to put the Irish up 7-0.
Next was Maurice Stovall, who ran in the 35-yard pass, to bring the score to 14-0. D.J. Fitzpatrick was successful in both P.A.T kicks.
Tennessee scored its first three points of the game when James Wilhoit II kick a 25-yard field goal with 3:46 remaining in the first.
In the second, Tom Zbikowski ran in a 78-yard punt return touchdown for the Irish to bring the score to 21-3 with over nine minutes until the half.
The Vols hit paydirt for the first time when Bret Smith scored on a seven-yard touchdown on a pass from Erik Ainge. The kick by Wilhoit II was good, bringing the intermission score to 21-10.
The third period was all Tennessee as Wilhoit II added three points to the score on a 30-yard field goal with 5:06 on the clock. Arian Foster ran in a three-yard touchdown and Smith made a successful two-point conversion to tie the game at 21 entering the final quarter of play.
However, Tennessee would only see the tie expand to a huge lead as the Irish took over in the fourth.
Jeff Samardzija, who set a new single season record by grabbing his 12th touchdown pass of the year, scored on a four-yard pass from Quinn at the 13:57 mark.
The P.A.T. was good by Fitzpatrick, who made two successful field goals, one from the 36-yard line and one from the 28, to bring the score to 34-21.
Zbikowski sealed the victory with a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown. Fitzpatrick's kick was again good, making the final 41-21 score.
The Volunteers, now 3-5, lost their fourth straight for the first time since 1988. The Vols must win their last three games against Memphis, Vanderbilt and Kentucky to become bowl eligible.
Darius Walker led the Irish with 62 rushing yards on 15 carries. Foster led Tennessee with 125 yards on 28 carries.
The Irish will take on Navy next Saturday at 1 p.m.