Box Score
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame Falcons shutout West Virginia State in the second half of Saturday's game at Mueller Field, as the Falcons came away with a 48-21 victory over the Yellow Jackets on Homecoming. 

The victory for the Falcons (5-1, 4-1 MEC) gives them their finest start in program history, and matches their win total from the 2015 season. The loss for the Yellow Jackets (1-5, 1-5 MEC) was their fourth in a row, and third in four games all-time against the Falcons. 

Notre Dame held a slight, 28-21 lead at the half, but their defense clamped down in the second half, limiting West Virginia State to just four first downs in the second half, and only 81 yards of total offense during that stretch as well. 

For the first time since the season opener, Notre Dame started the game with the ball. They took advantage, as they marched 80 yards down the field on five plays, and DJ Greene finished the drive on a 38-yard touchdown rush to give NDC an early 7-0 lead. 

The Yellow Jackets responded on the ensuing drive, as they put a 6-play, 75-yard drive together, ending on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Austin Hensley to Quinton Gray, tying the game at 7-7 with 10:07 left in the first quarter. 

Notre Dame regained the lead in the second quarter, after capitalizing on great field position. NDC began their next scoring drive at the WVSU 38 yard line after a punt, and scored four plays into the drive on the first of two touchdown passes from Malik Grove to C.J. Germany, this one from 21 yards out to give NDC a 21-14 lead with 12:56 left in the second quarter. 

WVSU capitalized on a pair on NDC's lone turnover of the contest to setup their second touchdown of the day. After a muffed punt by Marvelle Ross, Juawan Etheredge ran it in from one yard out to tie the game at 14-14 with 5:51 left in the half. 

Shortly thereafter, Ross redeemed himself, as he found the end zone for the first of two times on the day, returning the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown to give NDC a 21-14 lead. 

The NDC defense forced a three-and-out on WVSU's next offensive possession, and the Falcons scored three plays into their next drive, as Grove found Germany on a 57-yard touchdown pass to put the Falcons up, 28-14. 

The Yellow Jackets then put an 11-play, 80-yard drive together at the end of the first half. The drive ended with Hensley finding Akil Washington on an 8-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-21, which was the score going into the half. 

Both teams were kept off the scoreboard in the third quarter, until NDC was able to break the ice at the 9:47-mark in the fourth quarter, as Grove tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Ross, giving the Falcons a 35-21 lead. 

After the NDC defense forced another three-and-out, the offense responded with a 7-play, 52-yard drive, ending with a  9-yard touchdown pass from Grove to BJ Baldwin with 4:51 left in the contest. 

With the game already out of reach, a lot of NDC's reserves were able to get in on the action, and with 40 seconds left in the contest, senior QB Kendall Jackson scrambled nine yards for a touchdown for the final score of the contest. 

For the fourth time this season, Grove threw four touchdown passes, and for the fifth time this season, he didn't throw any interceptions. Grove completed 14-of-25 passes for 227 yards on the day. 

Notre Dame ran for 224 yards on the afternoon, and Greene passed the century mark for the second time this season, rushing for 140 yards on 22 carries, while Brian Walker ran for 60 yards. 

Mitchell Shegos hauled in five passes for 69 yards, while Germany caught two passes for 78 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Ross caught four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, and Baldwin caught two balls for 22 yards and a touchdown. 

It was a collective effort for Notre Dame defensively, but they were led by safety Onslow Williams, who had eight tackles to go along with a pair of interceptions. Robert Goodwin and Vincent Ellis both came away with sacks on the day, while Jake Chestnut, Claudy Mathieu and Tyson Jackson all tallied tackles for a loss. 

The Falcons return to action next Saturday, Oct. 15, when they head to Athens, W.Va., to take on the Concord Mountain Lions in another MEC tilt. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.