(Photo Courtesy Notre Dame Athletics)

A fabulous trick play on a punt that turned into a Jordan Faison touchdown was erased because of an illegal formation penalty and seemingly ignited a fury into Notre Dame that led to three forced turnovers and two Irish touchdowns in the final minutes of the 1st half as the Irish rolled over Virginia 35-7 on Senior Day at Notre Dame Stadium.

#8 Notre Dame improved to 9-1 on the season. They will head to Yankee Stadium next Saturday night to face undefeated Army before closing out the regular season at USC in two weeks. If the Irish can win those last two games, they are hoping that will get them one more chance to play at Notre Dame Stadium by hosting a College Football Playoff game in December.

Irish coach Marcus Freeman was asked after the game if he thinks they will play another game at Notre Dame Stadium.

“What I think doesn’t really matter,” Freeman said in a serious tone before starting to snicker. “Let’s go to work. Let’s give this program a chance to play in this stadium again. It doesn’t really matter what I think.”

He joked that WSBT Sports Director Pete Byrne, who asked the question, tried to set him up with the question.

Jeremiyah Love rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns and Riley Leonard threw for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Notre Dame’s defense forced four turnovers and Virginia committed a 5th on the opening play of the game.

And It was a strange game from literally the first play.

Former Notre Dame receiver Chris Tyree muffed the opening kickoff for Virginia. After a roughing the passer penalty kept the drive alive, Jeremiyah Love took it in for his 10th straight game with a rushing touchdown to put Notre Dame up 7-0 less than 2 minutes into the game.

There was a long lull in scoring from there before Riley Leonard connected with Jayden Harrison for an 8 yard touchdown to put the Irish up 14-0 with 6:34 left in the 2nd quarter.

The real chaos began on the next Irish drive.

With less than four minutes left in the 1st half, Notre Dame lineup for a punt. Jack Kiser was directly behind the center with Jordan Faison next to him. Kiser took the snap, faked like he was running in one direction but instead had handed it off to Faison who rushed for a spectacular touchdown until a flag came out after the play was over. The ruling on the field was an illegal formation. NBC’s Rules Analyst speculated on the broadcast that because of the formation Notre Dame was in, the Irish needed five players numbered 50 to 79 on the line of scrimmage because Kiser was lined up behind the center.

Irish coach Marcus Freeman said after the game he came down a rules interpretation.

As the call was made in a real time, Freeman was furious as was the stadium crowd. Freeman conceded after the game, he needs to keep his emotions in check better and move onto the next play but also said he felt the moment provided a spark for his team.

After Notre Dame was forced to punt, the Irish defense intercepted Virginia’s pass three plays later and Adon Shuler returned it 46 yards deep into the UVA territory. Leonard then threw a touchdown pass to Cooper Flanagan on a play action pass.

On the next UVA drive, Leonard Moore intercepted a pass leading to a Leonard to Mitchell Evans touchdown to put the Irish up 28-0 with 49 seconds left in the half.

Notre Dame would have yet another interception before the end of the half but couldn’t convert on a 54 yard field goal attempt.

“Momentum means everything,” Shuler said of forcing the turnovers. “Our coaches always preach ‘plus-two’ for turnover margin. So that’s what we strive for every game.”

Notre Dame finished plus three in the turnover margin in this game.

Jeremiyah Love scored his 2nd touchdown of the day on a 76 yard rush in the 3rd quarter.

“I just trust my O-line and once I see a hole, I hit it,” Love said. “I got breakaway speed and that’s something I can do.”

Virginia scored with 18 seconds left in the game to make it a 21 point difference at the end.

Jack Kiser, who set the Notre Dame record for games played at 63, wasn’t diving into the playoff talk after the game.

“You have to block it out,” Kiser said of the playoff talk noise. “It’s one game, one life. One play, one life. The next two games are the biggest stretch of our lives. The future is uncertain. Whatever happens, we say on defense ‘all chips in.'”

That ‘next play’ will happen next Saturday night against 9-0 Army at Yankee Stadium in New York.