Box Score

LYNDHURST, Ohio -- Notre Dame's high-octane offense -- as displayed in scoring 105 points over the team's first two games -- was shut down by Northwood (Mich.) on Saturday night, as the Timberwolves downed the Falcons, 49-14, at Korb Field.

NDC's offense didn't register a point until the fourth quarter in a game in a game controlled on the ground by the visiting NU squad.  Northwood (3-0, 2-0 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) ran its way to over 39 minutes in time of possession, with three players rushing for more than 70 yards in the game.  With the victory the Timberwolves have started a season 3-0 over three games for the first time since 2006.

[Postgame Notes]

The Falcon offense was limited to just one score, and Notre Dame went 4-for-15 on third-down conversions. NDC committed two turnovers without forcing one in the game, as the Falcons (1-2, 0-2) lost their GLIAC home opener.

Northwood got on the scoreboard first, when Cameron Jackson scampered to paydirt from two yards out.  That touchdown was set up by an interception on the third play from scrimmage for the Notre Dame offense.  NU's Fabian Jackson intercepted a Ray Russ pass and returned the ball 33 yards to the Notre Dame 2-yard line.  The touchdown came less than a minute into the game, at 14:14.

The Timberwolves upped that early lead to 14-0 by the 11:24-mark when, on a pass play, quarterback Aaron Shavers broke out of the pocket and dashed 18 yards down the right sideline and into the end zone.  That drive was set up by a 43-yard punt return, and the Timberwolves had compiled just 35 yards of total offense by the time their 14-0 lead was established.

Notre Dame halved that lead when Colton Wallace blocked a punt and returned it 16 yards for a TD on the first play of the second quarter.

NU countered on its next drive, when they drove 69 yards downfield for their third TD of the night.  The drive was methodical, chewing over six-and-a half minutes of clock time in 13 plays.

Shavers bolted 69 yards for a rushing touchdown late in the first half, and the Timberwolves took a 28-7 lead into their locker room at halftime.

Northwood dominated the third frame, outscoring NDC, 14-0, and controlling the clock all the while.  NU's two TD drives were over 75 yards long and they were orchestrated on a combined 23 plays from scrimmage.

The two sides traded touchdowns in the fourth, with NDC getting its score on a 4-yard pass from Ray Russ to Karl Jean at the 11:24-mark of the fourth.  Russ went 21-for-40 in the game, tossing one TD against two interceptions.  He totaled 196 passing yards.

The Notre Dame ground game was held in check by an NU defense that came into the contest yielding just 288.0 total yards per game.  NDC was held to 3.4 yards per carry, and Pedro Powell -- the NCAA-II rushing leader coming into week three -- was limited to just 64 yards on 18 carries.

The Timberwolves were led by the three-headed running attack of Shavers (13 carries-120 yards-2 TDs), Cameron Jackson (17- 102- 2) and Jordan Jonker (17-79- 1).  Shavers went 11-for-15 for 127 yards and two more scores through the air.