Irish hand Vols fourth loss in row

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame found a way to win again. Tennessee found a way to lose again.

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It's been the story of the season for the two teams as the Irish continue to look like they're getting closer to being an elite team and the Volunteers continue to look increasingly mediocre.

The Volunteers looked as though they might be able to rally for a victory Saturday after coming back from 18 points down to tie the score at 21. But Brady Quinn completed a 73-yard pass to Jeff Samardzija to set up the go-ahead touchdown and spark the eighth-ranked Irish to a 41-21 victory Saturday.

"All the momentum swung back our way on that one play," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said.

It was a short pass to the left, but Samardzija eluded a couple of tacklers and raced down the sideline before being caught from behind by Antwan Stewart at the 2-yard line.

"I was looking back trying to give a stiff arm, when I really didn't need to," Samardzija said. "(Maurice) Stovall put on a great block for me up on the 50, and it just kind of opened up the whole seam for me down the sideline."

Samardzija capped the drive with 4-yard touchdown catch for Quinn's third touchdown pass of the game.

Quinn was 20-for-33 for 295 yards and threw two touchdown passes in the span of a minute to give the Irish (6-2) a 14-0 lead. The Vols managed to slow him until late in the third quarter, when Quinn finished the game by completing 5 of 8 passes for 93 yards, setting up the go-ahead score and a pair of field goals by D.J. Fitzpatrick.

"We had some time in the game when we were unproductive, but we challenged ourselves to see how productive we could be against this defense," Quinn said.

Samardzija's touchdown catch was his 12th of the season, breaking the mark of 11 set by Derrick Mayes in 1994.

Tom Zbikowski iced the victory with a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown. He also had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. The two returns for touchdowns give Zbikowski four scores in three games. He also had a 60-yard punt return against Southern Cal and an 83-yard interception return against Brigham Young.

Weis was pleased to see his defense and special teams contribute, even if it was Zbikowski on both plays.

"He lifted my spirits a little bit," Weis said. "Any time you're not an offensive player and you're responsible for two touchdowns, I think that's a major factor in the game."