Notre Dame’s football season roared back to life Saturday as the Fighting Irish demolished the Arkansas Razorbacks 56-13 in Fayetteville, delivering a statement win that could reshape their postseason hopes.
CJ Carr Shatters Freshman Records
The spotlight belonged to
CJ Carr, Notre Dame’s redshirt freshman quarterback, who matched a school freshman record with four touchdown passes. Carr was electric from the opening snap, finishing 22-of-30 for 354 yards and four scores—nearly all of it in the first half. He led the Irish to six consecutive scoring drives, racking up 294 yards and all four TDs before sitting out the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.
“Carr looked poised beyond his years,” one analyst noted, referencing the previous record set by Ron Powlus in 1994. The Irish offense was relentless, with Carr orchestrating drives of 75, 73, 75, 70, 75, and 45 yards before halftime.
Jeremiyah Love Dominates on Ground and Air
Running back
Jeremiyah Love was unstoppable, scoring four touchdowns—two rushing and two receiving. Love’s versatility shredded an Arkansas defense that has struggled all season, finishing with 14 carries for 57 yards and adding two touchdown catches of 7 and 34 yards.
Notre Dame’s ground game, led by Love and Jadarian Price, exploited Arkansas’s porous run defense, which ranks among the nation’s worst in several key metrics. The Razorbacks surrendered big plays all afternoon, echoing concerns raised by analysts before the game.
Arkansas Overwhelmed by Irish Onslaught
Arkansas, led by quarterback Taylen Green, simply couldn’t keep pace. The Razorbacks managed just 13 points, with all their scoring coming before halftime. Notre Dame’s defense, which had been under fire for poor performances earlier in the season, tightened up in the second half, shutting out Arkansas completely.
The loss is another blow for Arkansas, whose defense has been among the worst in the country at stopping the run and preventing explosive plays.
What This Means for Notre Dame
This win was a much-needed bounce-back for Notre Dame, who started the season ranked in the top 10 but fell to No. 22 after early losses to Miami and Texas A&M. The dominant performance in Fayetteville could be a turning point, especially with the Irish’s College Football Playoff hopes still flickering.
Key takeaways for Notre Dame fans:
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CJ Carr is the real deal—his performance cements him as the Irish’s quarterback of the future.
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Jeremiyah Love’s versatility gives Notre Dame a dynamic weapon in both the run and pass game.
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Defensive improvement in the second half shows the Irish can adjust and dominate when needed.
Looking Ahead
Notre Dame’s schedule doesn’t get any easier, but this blowout win sends a clear message: the Irish are not done yet. If Carr and Love continue to perform at this level, Notre Dame could claw its way back into the playoff conversation.
For Arkansas, it’s back to the drawing board as they search for answers on defense and try to salvage their season.
Sources
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13. Jalen Brown injury update after Arkansas WR is carted off vs Notre ...
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