[scorecard]

Just watched the game on TV from my DVR. I have to say the ACC referees calling our game were really bad - I'd have to say far worse than our Pac-12 refs.

There were so many very visible penalties that they did not call - holds, hands to the face, clips, pass interference, etc. and several that they called that were plain wrong.

It's almost like they didn't want us to win by too much, but that'd be crazy.  Conspiracy theory even.  Because if Pitt, an ACC bottom dweller can beat Notre Dame, then what would Florida State do to Notre Dame?  And Stanford can barely beat Notre Dame and ASU and USC both lost to Notre Dame, so therefore the ACC and Florida State must be so much better than the Pac-12. 

Fullmetal beat me to it as I was writing it, but no, there was no flag called on Lyons' 2nd interception where the Notre Dame receiver basically tried to tear off his helmet by the facemask in the same way that I would rip into a can of Pringles.  It should have been an obvious personal foul which might have been important for field position at that point in the game.  (And what would have happened if Lyons didn't hang on to the ball?  It would have just been an incomplete pass instead of a personal foul or offensive PI)  But that was all rendered moot by Gaffney carrying Irish safeties for 15 extra yards downfield to seal the game (which was wonderfully reminiscent of Gerhart just trucking the Irish safety or Fleener pulling the Irish safety like a plowhorse into the end zone). 

[scorecard]

Just watched the game on TV from my DVR. I have to say the ACC referees calling our game were really bad - I'd have to say far worse than our Pac-12 refs.

There were so many very visible penalties that they did not call - holds, hands to the face, clips, pass interference, etc. and several that they called that were plain wrong.

It's almost like they didn't want us to win by too much, but that'd be crazy.  Conspiracy theory even.  Because if Pitt, an ACC bottom dweller can beat Notre Dame, then what would Florida State do to Notre Dame?  And Stanford can barely beat Notre Dame and ASU and USC both lost to Notre Dame, so therefore the ACC and Florida State must be so much better than the Pac-12. 

Fullmetal beat me to it as I was writing it, but no, there was no flag called on Lyons' 2nd interception where the Notre Dame receiver basically tried to tear off his helmet by the facemask in the same way that I would rip into a can of Pringles.  It should have been an obvious personal foul which might have been important for field position at that point in the game.  (And what would have happened if Lyons didn't hang on to the ball?  It would have just been an incomplete pass instead of a personal foul or offensive PI)  But that was all rendered moot by Gaffney carrying Irish safeties for 15 extra yards downfield to seal the game (which was wonderfully reminiscent of Gerhart just trucking the Irish safety or Fleener pulling the Irish safety like a plowhorse into the end zone).