Senior running back Jeffrey Watkins Jr. ran for 152 yards and scored three touchdowns as Notre Dame opened its season with a 27-6 win over Central in a game that took more than three hours to complete.
Penalties and stoppage of plays for injuries – primarily leg cramps for both teams – caused the game to run until almost 11 p.m.
The Fighting Irish did all their damage in the first half as Watkins scored on runs of 3, 42 and 2 yards. Watkins finished with 27 carries as Notre Dame raced out to a 27-0 halftime lead, then held off a Central team that scored on its first possession of the second half and drove the ball into Irish territory three more times without scores.
“I don’t think I have ever had a game with so many leg cramps,” said Notre Dame coach Charles Fant. “First games are always tough because they get tired. We needed pickle juice, Pedialyte and mustard tonight with all the cramping.”
Central coach Curt Jones was encouraged by the Purple Pounders’ second-half performance, shutting out the high-powered Irish running game.