Ian Book Leads Notre Dame to Crucial 45-23 Road Win over Virginia Tech

The No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish maintained their undefeated record with a 45-23 win against the No. 24 Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday night at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Notre Dame is now a perfect 6-0, while the Hokies fell to 3-2.

Both offenses initially struggled to find their rhythm Saturday, but the Fighting Irish came to life in the second half.

Notre Dame junior quarterback Ian Book enjoyed his third consecutive strong outing since taking over as the starter, throwing for 271 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 25-of-35 passing.

Irish running back Dexter Williams was the offensive star of the game, though, with 178 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries, including a 97-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Ryan Willis made his second start at quarterback since Josh Jackson went down with a broken leg, and he threw for 309 yards, two touchdowns and one pick.

Missed opportunities played a major role in Virginia Tech's loss since it had to settle for three field goals. The Hokies also had some major miscues in all three phases.

Virginia Tech missed two field goals, allowed a 42-yard defensive touchdown by Julian Love on a Willis fumble in the second quarter and surrendered the 97-yard touchdown run by Williams in the third.

Saturday's Adversity Will Make Book Stronger Down Stretch

Book ended up with a solid stat line Saturday, but he faced far more resistance than he did in his first two starts.

He accounted for nine touchdowns with no interceptions over his first two starts, as the Irish beat Wake Forest and Stanford by a combined score of 94-44.

Although the score against Virginia Tech ended up being lopsided, the Irish led by just one at the break, and Book got his first true taste of failure when Reggie Floyd picked him off in the second quarter.

Book showed great resilience by bouncing back to throw a pair of touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Miles Boykin in the second half, including a 40-yard strike.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg noted that Book has a history of overcoming obstacles after receiving little interest from major colleges out of high school:

The huge showing from Williams in the backfield took some pressure off Book on Saturday, but he still clearly made some adjustments and got better as the game went on.

Now that Book knows what it's like to bounce back against a strong opponent on the road, it should serve him and the entire team well in the coming weeks.

Hokies' Success Depends on Utilizing Steven Peoples

Willis unloaded 52 passes Saturday in a game that saw Virginia Tech trail throughout the second half, however, that isn't a recipe for success for the Hokies.

Senior running back Steve Peoples has done some good things this season when given an opportunity, and that was the case once again Saturday, as he rushed for 64 yards on just nine carries.

Peoples rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns against Old Dominion two weeks ago, and he has averaged seven yards per carry or better in three of his five games this season.

He has been given more than 16 carries in a game just once, though, which may have some bearing on Virginia Tech's disappointing 3-2 start.

Willis did some good things Saturday, but Mike Barber of the Richmond Times-Dispatch noted that he was often under pressure against a talented Notre Dame defense:

One way to lessen pressure is to commit more to the running game, and the numbers suggest Virginia Tech should do precisely that.

The Hokies had success when handing the ball to Peoples and Deshawn McClease on Saturday, and continuing to do so may have kept the game closer than it ultimately ended up being.

If Virginia Tech wants to salvage its season and remain in the race to win the ACC Coastal division, it must make Peoples a far more integral part of the offense.

Irish Are CFP-Bound After Tough Road Win

With LSU, Oklahoma and Auburn all losing Saturday, there is no question that Notre Dame will be a top-five team when the new poll is released Sunday.

The Irish will likely be ranked No. 5 behind Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and Ohio State, which would leave them outside the College Football Playoff if the season were to end Sunday.

There is still plenty of season left, though, and Notre Dame has conquered most of its toughest tests.

The Irish have already beaten Michigan, Stanford and Virginia Tech, and their most difficult game remaining is a road clash with USC to close the regular season.

Based on the way Notre Dame is playing currently, it looks like a safe bet to go undefeated.

Book has given stability under center, and Williams has added a dynamic option to the backfield that teams have been unable to stop.

Angelo Di Carlo of Redeemer 95.7 Sports noted that Williams has already put up big numbers this season despite playing in only two games:

He also has made history, as his 97-yard touchdown run was the second-longest run in Notre Dame history behind only Josh Adams' 98-yard scamper in 2015, per Pete Sampson of The Athletic.

Notre Dame now has a balanced offense, and it also has an aggressive defense that can score points in its own right, much like it did Saturday.

Since either Alabama or Georgia is guaranteed to lose at least one game provided they meet in the SEC Championship Game, Notre Dame now controls its own CFP destiny, and there is no reason to think it won't run the table.

What's Next?

Notre Dame will be a significant favorite when it hosts the 3-3 Pittsburgh Panthers next week, while Virginia Tech will travel for a road clash with the 1-3 North Carolina Tar Heels.