Senior wide receiver Michael Floyd began his final season in an Irish uniform with perhaps the best performance of his career. Floyd reined in a career-high 12 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns.
The effort was enough to move him up the ranks in several categories of the Notre Dame record book. With his ninth reception of the game, Floyd moved past Jeff Samardzija for the most receptions in Notre Dame history. Floyd finished the game with 183 career receptions, four ahead of Samardzija.
Floyd also recorded the 14th 100-yard receiving game of his career, moving him into second behind only Golden Tate, who had 15 such games.
Floyd jumped into second place in career receiving yards with 2,693, only 14 yards behind Tate's Notre Dame record.
Already the owner of Notre Dame's all-time touchdown receptions record, Floyd pushed his career touchdown mark to 30 scores Saturday.
"I think Michael Floyd is a great player on film. I think he's a lot better than he is on film," Bulls coach Skip Holtz said. "I think he is one of the special players in college football. I think he's a difference-maker."
Ruffer's first home miss
Senior placekicker David Ruffer sent a 30-yard field goal attempt wide with 1:07 remaining in the third quarter with the Irish trailing 16-7. The miss marked only the second missed field goal of Ruffer's career and his first miss at home.
With five made field goals in 2009 and 18 straight made field goals to begin last season, the former walk-on had converted the first 23 attempts of his career.
However, the streak came to a halt in Notre Dame's Sun Bowl victory over Miami last December when Ruffer missed a 46-yard field goal in the third quarter of the game.
