Box Score
CANTON, Ohio -- The Notre Dame Falcons set a program record on Saturday afternoon, with their fifth straight victory, as they capitalized on a second half surge to defeat Malone, 49-21.  

The five game winning streak for the Falcons (3-0) is not only a program record, but it marks just the second time that they've started a season with three straight wins. For the Pioneers (2-1) the loss was their third in a row against the Falcons dating back to 2012. 

Notre Dame outscored Malone, 21-7 in the second half to pull away, while two Falcons (DJ Greene and Brian Walker) rushed for over 100 yards, and Malik Grove wasn't far behind with 94 rushing yards. On the day, NDC tallied 339 rushing yards. 

Malone didn't waste any time getting started, as they scored on the very first play from scrimmage, on Matt Blasiole's 75-yard touchdown rush to take an early 7-0 lead. 

After the Pioneers forced the Falcons to punt on their opening drive, they took the ball inside the Notre Dame five yard line, where their drive stalled, and they failed on a fourth down conversion to give the ball back to the Falcons. 

Notre Dame's offense responded, with a nine-play, 96-yard scoring drive, which concluded on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Malik Grove to CJ Germany. 

The Notre Dame defense forced the Pioneers to punt on the ensuing drive, and the NDC offense put a long sustained drive together to take the lead. NDC went 69 yards on 14 plays, and Grove found Emmanuel Smith on an 18-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter to give the Falcons a 14-7 lead. 

Another long drive from the Notre Dame offense resulted in points at the 7:17-mark, as DJ Greene ran it in from one yard out to cap a 10-play, 80-yard drive to give NDC a 21-7 lead. 

Malone responded moments later on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Jon Iacucci to Ashton Dulin to bring the deficit down to seven (21-14) with 5:58 left. 

The Pioneers forced Grove to throw his first interception of the season on NDC's ensuing drive, as Daniel Tepe picked off the pass at the Malone three yard line, but the NDC defense forced a three-and-out. Malone's Marcus Moeller punted from his own end zone to Marvelle Ross, who zig-zagged his way to the end zone on an incredible 60-yard punt return for a touchdown to give NDC a 28-14 advantage, which they took into the half. 

Malone started the second half with a nice defensive effort, forcing Notre Dame to turn the ball over on downs on their first possession, before the Pioneers marched 79 yards down the field and scored one final time on a three-yard touchdown rush from Damon Williams to make it 28-21 with 10:10 left in the third quarter. 

Notre Dame was quick to respond on the very next drive. On third and short at the NDC 41 yard line, Grove threw a quick strike to Darius Johnson, who took it to the house on a 59-yard touchdown pass to give NDC a 35-21 advantage. 

The NDC offense struck again in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, as Grove tossed his fourth touchdown pass of the contest, a 31-yard scoring strike to Germany with just under 13 minutes left to give NDC a 42-21 lead. 

The defense was able to get in on the scoring action as well, as Tre'Von Slater picked off a Malone pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown for NDC's first pick-six of the season. 

Walker led the NDC rushing attack with 114 yards on the ground on 16 carries, while Greene ran for 109 yards and a score, all in the first half. Grove ran for 97 yards on 18 carries, while completing 14-of-22 passes for 213 yards and four touchdowns, marking the third game this season that he's thrown three touchdowns or more. 

Germany was NDC's top target in the passing game, hauling in a pair of passes for 75 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Johnson's 59-yard touchdown grab was his only catch, while Smith hauled in six passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. BJ Baldwin caught two passes for 37 yards, and Mitchell Shegos caught three passes, giving  him at least one catch in each of his last 25 games. 

NDC was led defensively by Onslow Williams, who had 12 tackles. Vince Ellis and Tyson Jackson both came away with sacks. 

The Falcons return to action next Saturday, Sept. 24, when they play host to No. 4 Shepherd at Mueller Field in South Euclid, Ohio. Kickoff is scheduled for Noon.