SOUTH BEND, Ind. _ Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush accounted for three touchdowns as the No. 8 Irish outlasted Navy, 24-17, Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.
Wimbush completed a 9-yard pass to receiver Kevin Stepherson with 11 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter for the go-ahead touchdown.
Wimbush had two touchdowns passing and one rushing to help the Irish (9-2) bounce back from last week's loss at Miami. He threw for 164, and Stepherson had five catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Zach Abey had one touchdown rushing and one passing for Navy (6-4).
Abey scored on a 1-yard run to give Navy a 10-3 lead with 1:08 left in the second quarter. The Irish responded with a touchdown one minute later. Wimbush scored on a 2-yard run with eight seconds left in the half.
Navy regained the lead on a 12-yard pass from Abey to Craig Scott at the 7:01 mark in the third quarter. Notre Dame answered with a five-play scoring drive. Wimbush threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Stepherson to tie the game again at 5:33 in the quarter.
Wimbush connected with Stepherson for the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Navy reached Notre Dame's 25 with less than 1:30 left, but came up empty when Darryl Bonner's halfback pass on fourth down was incomplete.
