No. 9 Notre Dame holds off No. 22 Temple, 24-20

PHILADELPHIA — Breaking down No. 9 Notre Dame's 24-20 win at No. 22 Temple on Saturday:

THE BIG PICTURE: Temple mirrored Notre Dame step for step until late in the fourth quarter, when a Fighting Irish touchdown drive and key defensive stop ended the Owls’ hope for an historic upset. The win reflects well on the Irish, who can add a road win against a ranked team in an effort to rise in the national polls. Even in defeat, however, Temple proved itself as a bona fide national contender. The win provides Notre Dame with an immediate boost, but Temple can use the four-point loss as a building block.

Notre Dame (7-1) was slowed by its own errors in the red zone. Give Temple (7-1) some credit, particularly on defense: The Owls committed to stopping the run and forced DeShone Kizer to make plays. The redshirt freshman was great on the ground, scoring on a 79-yard scamper in the first half, but tossed two interceptions near the goal line. That’s part of the learning experience for Kizer, but he’ll need to be error-free to lead the Irish to an unbeaten November.

WHAT WE’LL BE TALKING ABOUT: The Fighting Irish began the season believing early matchups against Texas and Georgia Tech would allow for résumé-making wins in the race for the College Football Playoff. As the Longhorns and Yellow Jackets struggle, however, Temple likely stands as Notre Dame’s most impressive win. That might change by December, especially with Stanford ahead and Southern California rebounding under an interim coach, but the Owls’ surge into the polls during a 7-0 start will be beneficial to the Irish’s Playoff hopes.

BREAKOUT PLAYER: Notre Dame defensive tackle Sheldon Day’s impact went far beyond the box score. The interior of Temple’s offensive line was often manhandled by the senior, whose constant pressure in the backfield upset the Owls’ tempo in the running game and on passing downs.

KEY STAT: Notre Dame is now 16-0 in games played on Halloween.

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