Box Score
LYNDHURST, Ohio – For a second time in as many weeks, the Notre Dame Falcons have pulled off a second-half comeback win.  On Saturday, NDC downed the Walsh Cavaliers, 31-28, in a game that saw the Falcons rally from a 21-3 halftime deficit.

Notre Dame got a 26-of-43, 286-yard passing performance from quarterback Ray Russ (Willoughby), with Russ' final pass of the day coming in the form of a 38-yard bomb to wide receiver Colton Wallace (Mentor) with just six seconds remaining in the game.  Wallace caught the ball while diving over the goal line, turning a 28-24 loss into a 31-28 victory.

Led by Russ and running back Pedro Powell (31 carries, 133 yards), the NDC offense piled up 320 yards of total offense in a second half that saw the Falcons (3-7, 2-7 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) outscore the Cavaliers, 28-7.  With the victory over Walsh (3-7, 2-7), Notre Dame has now won back-to-back games in comeback fashion -- NDC rallied from a 16-0 deficit to down Malone, 36-19, on Oct. 27.

Early on, the game was a battle of field position. Walsh pinned Notre Dame in bad field position and after a 3-and-out, the Falcons were forced to punt from their own 16 yard line.

The Cavaliers started off on the Falcons 43 yard-line and on the first play of the drive, Jack Dawson ran a play-action pass play which resulted in a 43-yard touchdown reception for Darryl Yards with 7:56 remaining in the first quarter.

Notre Dame got great field position of their own on the ensuing kickoff when Michael Fields returned the kick 57 yards to the Cavaliers 34.

Notre Dame's drive inside Cavalier's territory was kept alive when a 3rd and 5 on the Walsh 29 yard line was converted on a nice screen pass to Ray J. Brown. However, the Walsh defense stopped Notre Dame inside the five when Ray Russ overthrew Colton Wallace in the back of the endzone from the Walsh 3 yard line; forcing NDC to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Jordan Colson with 4:34 remaining in the 1st quarter.

The Falcons seemed to be gaining momentum after holding Walsh to a 3-and-out on their very next possession.

NDC mixed in a combination of pass plays by Ray Russ and runs by Karl Jean to drive to the Cavaliers 21 yard line. The Blue & White couldn't convert on a 3rd and eight from the Cavaliers 21 when Ray Russ again sailed a pass too long for Wide receiver Colton Wallace. The Falcons tried to tack on another field goal, but their plan was thwarted when Walsh blocked the field goal attempt and took over possession on their own 19-yard line.

Notre Dame's defense forced another quick 3rd down at the Walsh 38 converted when Jack Dawson completed to Darryl Gary who made an incredible one-handed 38-yard first down play. Walsh continued driving and punched in a one-yard touchdown run by Steve Smith to push the Cavalier's to a 14-3 lead with 10:16 remaining in the 2nd quarter.

An interception by Sylvester Flowers late in the second-half set up a possession for Notre Dame at their own 16 yard line.

Notre Dame wasn't satisfied with going into halftime down 14-3. Ray Russ threw three straight incomplete passes setting up a NDC punt. The Cavaliers brought the house and blocked Rob Partridge's punt attempt that was recovered in the endzone for a Walsh touchdown by Paul Kempe with 0:37 remaining in the second quarter.

The Falcons drew first blood in the second-half, just as they had a week ago at Malone. Ray Russ and the Falcon recievers came up clutch during the drive; converting on 4th and 2, 3rd and 6 and 3rd and 14. The drive was capped off by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ray Russ to Colton Wallace. The extra-point attempt was missed to keep the score at 21-9 with 7:08 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

The Falcon's defense forced a fumble and a 3-and-out on successive Walsh drives to set-up the Blue & White's second scoring drive of the half.

Ray Russ drove the Falcon offense 60 yards on 8 plays to another touchdown, completed by an 8 yard touchdown strike to Ray J Brown to narrow the deficit to 21-16 at the end of the third quarter.

After the defense forced a Cavaliers punt on Walsh's first possession of the fourth quarter, NDC started yet another impressive drive. A 21-yard run down to the Walsh 2-yard line by Pedro Powell converted a 3rd-and-2 and set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Karl Jean. NDC converted a huge 2-point conversion when Ray Russ found Ray J. Brown in the back of the endzone to make raise their first lead of the game to 24-21 with 8:42 remaining in the game.

Walsh came roaring back with a touchdown drive of their own. Sir Taylor returned the following kickoff all the way to the NDC 48-yard line. That return set up a quick scoring drive by the Cavaliers, capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Toba Olarewaju to make the score 28-24 Walsh.

NDC started the next drive from their own 24 and drove down to the Walsh 17. Ecstasy turned into agony for the Falcons' offense; as well as the hometown crowd, when Ray J Brown fumbled at the Walsh 3-yard line with only 1:51 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Falcon defense stood strong on the Cavaliers next possession; coming up with a huge third down stop when quarterback Jack Dawson's scramble came just short of a Walsh first down, forcing a Cavaliers punt.

The Falcons' chances of coming back looked very slim when Ray Russ was sacked for a loss of 8 yards on Notre Dame's first play of the drive. NDC rebounded and got a first down when Danny Larosa made an incredible 19-yard reception on third-and-long. After an incompletion, Russ threw a deep pass intended for Colton Wallace.  The pass fell right into the diving arms of Wallace –his second touchdown reception of the game – for the game winning score. After a successful PAT and the game clock expired, the Falcons won by a final score of 31-28.