SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Whether or not you believe in lucky numbers, 35 seems to be one for the Notre Dame College football program. The Falcons topped No. 16 Shepherd University 35-33 on Saturday, a nearly identical score to the 35-34 win over Shepherd, who was No. 8 at the time, in 2014.
 
The afternoon began with a familiar face scoring for NDC as Marvelle Ross took a pass nine yards into the end zone on the opening drive of the game. The Falcons marched down the field for 70 yards on eight plays to start the game, making things look easy and foreshadowing the ultimate victory.
 
On the following drive, Shepherd took its own journey down to the NDC 23-yard line, but missed a 40-yard attempt to give the Falcons the ball back. On the next SU drive, the Falcons took the ball back again, this time by force, as Guam Lee intercepted a pass from freshman quarterback Tyson Bagent.
 
"I got my drop and got to my zone and he threw the ball right to me," Lee said. "We've been drilling all week and we knew a lot of their plays. We practiced and drilled them to a T."
 
The teams traded possessions until Ross, once again, made a highlight-worthy play. The junior wide receiver from Cleveland, who earned First Team All-MEC honors as a return specialist last year, zig-zagged his way 57 yards to pay dirt on a punt return.
 
"The punt is the most important play in football and on a punt return; to have a player who can go the distance potentially any time he touches the football is a huge weapon," head coach Mike Jacobs said. "This is his third season with us and he's had a return touchdown every year now. To have a guy we trust, that's an explosive play maker is invaluable."
 
Down 14-0 with six minutes on the clock in the second quarter, Shepherd started their comeback attempt scoring 10 points in the final 3:13 of the first half to make it a four-point game at halftime.
 
Notre Dame kicked off to give Shepherd the ball at the outset of half number two, but on the second play of the third quarter Derrick Brumfield got the ball back for his team after sacking SU's rookie QB and forcing a fumble.
 
With the ball at the Shepherd 43-yard line, NDC utilized Marvelle Ross for a third time as he caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from redshirt-freshman Chris Brimm. After scoring 18 points for NDC, Ross handed the scoring duties off to Jaleel McLaughlin, who had a record day in his first ever collegiate competition.
 
McLaughlin rushed for a Notre Dame single-game record 302 yards, which was also good enough for third-most in Mountain East Conference history. He scored the final two touchdowns for the Falcons, less than a minute apart. With 9:52 left in the third quarter, the Marshville, N.C. native ran 76 yards to put the home team up 28-10. But that was just the beginning. McLaughlin again ate up 75 yards to score his second touchdown with 8:55 left, responding to Shepherd to go up 35-17.
 
"[McLaughlin] is a patient runner," Jacobs said. "He's a fast kid.
 
"It says a lot about how much he's done in the preseason because that's an awfully deep running back group. We're going to need all of those guys by time the season's over, but he happened to be the hot hand today. He ran for a school record and had a 100-yard touchdown called back on a kickoff return, so he's a kid who knows how to win. He was a state champion in football, basketball and track in high school so he's someone who knows how to do things the right way. I'm really happy for him and with how he ran today."
 
Jacobs continued to praise the running game with credit to the lineman.
 
"It also speaks volumes about our offensive line too and what they can accomplish. It was hot today and they worked hard in the trenches to help us win."
 
Near the end of the third quarter, with the ball on NDC's two-yard line, Shepherd was poised to score on third and goal, but coming up big with the third team takeaway of the game was Guam Lee who intercepted his second pass. Lee took the ball from one end zone to another, but the return was called back after a penalty on Notre Dame.
 
"I had my eyes on the ball in anticipation," Lee said. "I got the ball and took off as fast as I could. I almost cramped up, but I got the end zone and I was lit."
 
At the start of the fourth quarter, up 18 points, things looked like a lock for the Falcons when 34 seconds into the game's final 15 minutes, Davionn Johnson intercepted a Bagent pass for the fourth Ram turnover of the game.
 
But the No. 16 team, who had not lost a game in 30 regular season tries, was not done. Shepherd scored a 31-yard TD with 8:37 to play and made a 29-yard field goal with 2:48 on the clock to make it a one-possession contest.
 
Two lines and a circle made by LED lights lit up the scoreboard to show 1:10 was on the clock on Shepherd's final touchdown of the game, a six-yard run by Zyan Sturdivant. A two-point conversion was all that was needed to tie the game, but NDC stopped a pass attempt and seemed to solidify their win. But after a player on the defense was offside, the Rams had a second chance. This time, they were going to try and run the ball a yard and a half to force overtime, but a bobbled snap seal the game's fate as SU lost control of the football and came up empty.
 
In classic, bend-don't-break fashion, Notre Dame held on to win and beat Shepherd for the second time in school history, and put a loss on the Rams' conference record for just the third time in MEC history.
 
"The thing I'm most proud of today is how we tightened down in the red zone," Jacobs said. "I thought our red zone defense was really good today. We held them to a couple field goal attempts and to have four takeaways in a game is big time. Our defense was on the field for a long time today and they played their tails off."
 
Notre Dame was led by Curtis Collins on the defensive end who had 12 tackles, while Lee totaled nine. RJ Goodwin and Jeffrey Thomas made eight and seven stops, respectively. Thomas was a disruption in Shepherd's passing game with five pass break-ups and one sack.
 
"Jeff Thomas is one of our most consistent players," Jacobs said. "I thought he had a big day today. He wanted to have a big game. He felt he didn't play his best against them last year and he wanted the redemption so I'm happy for him. And Curtis is one of our captains. He's one of our emotional leaders; he gets the church going. For him to come out and play good football, I'm excited about where he can get this season."
 
Lee shared his feelings on what it felt like to see the clock hit zero after the game.
 
"It was all glory to God," Lee said. "That's all I was thinking. All glory goes to him. They fought back great, but we did the best we could and came out with the win. I'm so proud of my teammates and coaches."

Brimm ended his first game with 110 passing yard and two touchdowns while Ross totaled 84 yards and two TDs receiving to add to his punt return.
 
Notre Dame will travel to Glenville State on Saturday, September 8 for its second game of the year. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.