ORLANDO, fla. – So much for the notion that No. 14 Notre Dame didn't have anything to play for in the Camping World Bowl.
A year removed from an appearance in the CFP national semifinals, the Fighting Irish closed out another double-digit win season with arguably their best all-around performance in a 33-9 victory over Iowa State on Saturday.
"I'm just so proud of our football team. 2019 will be one that I'll always remember, for a group of guys that just loved to play the game. They had such a strong brotherhood," coach Brian Kelly said.
"They did not listen to what the naysayers had to say about them. The negative tone, the negative people out there. All they cared about was playing the game," Kelly added. "It was clean. It was about competing. Always looking to better themselves."
Ian Book passed for 247 yards and a touchdown, Tony Jones Jr. scored on an 84-yard run and game MVP Chase Claypool had seven receptions for 146 yards and a TD for the Irish (11-2, No. 15 CFP), who finished on a six-game winning streak after losing to Michigan to tumble out of contention for a playoff berth in late October.
Book completed 20 of 28 passes without an interception, including a 27-yard TD throw to Claypool, who went over 1,000 yards receiving for the season. He also recovered a fumble on special teams.
Iowa State (7-6) lost to four ranked teams — Iowa, Oklahoma, Baylor and Oklahoma State — by a combined 11 points this season.
Brock Purdy was 17 of 30 for 222 yards and no interceptions for the Cyclones, but he was unable to get his team into the end zone after throwing for a school single-season record 27 TDs during the regular season.
