Notre Dame beats Miami 31-24 at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, a result that kept the Irish in the College Football Playoff race and ended a run of defeats against the Hurricanes. CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, and the Irish held on after Miami had fought back from 17 points down. Notre Dame improved to 7-3 overall, while Miami fell to 8-2. The win was the first for the Irish over the Hurricanes since 2017, and it came in front of a sellout crowd at Notre Dame Stadium. The result was one of the biggest upsets of the college football weekend, and it gave the Irish a boost in the playoff race.
Notre Dame had the better of the early stages. The Irish led 7-0 in the first quarter when Carr threw to Micah Gilbert for a 22-yard touchdown. The score was tied at 7-7 early in the second quarter when Miami’s Malachi Toney ran in from 19 yards out. Carr then threw to Jordan Faison for a 31-yard touchdown to put Notre Dame ahead 14-7. The Irish had a chance to extend the lead when Carr threw to Gilbert for a 52-yard gain, but the drive stalled and the Irish settled for a field goal. The score was 17-7 at half-time, and Notre Dame had the momentum.
Miami did not give up. The Hurricanes scored twice in the third quarter to tie the game at 24-24. The Irish did not panic. They retook the lead at 31-24 when Carr threw to Gilbert for a 26-yard touchdown. The Notre Dame defence then intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter, and the Irish held on to win. The win was the first for the Irish over the Hurricanes since 2017, and it came in front of a sellout crowd at Notre Dame Stadium.
The win was built on defence. The Irish intercepted two passes, and the second of them set up a touchdown. The defence stopped Miami on fourth down in the second half, and the Irish held Miami to 24 points. Notre Dame held Miami to 4.5 yards per play, and the Hurricanes were held to 24 points for the first time this season. The Irish had the better of the game, and the result was a deserved one for the home side.
Notre Dame win built on a fast start
Notre Dame’s fast start was the key to the win. The Irish scored on their first drive, and they led 7-0 after the first quarter. The Irish had the better of the early stages, and they kept the ball for long stretches. Notre Dame had the ball for 32:07, compared with 27:53 for Miami, and the Irish outgained the Hurricanes 434-354. The fast start gave the Irish confidence, and they never trailed in the game. The win was the first for the Irish over the Hurricanes since 2017, and it came in front of a sellout crowd.
How the Irish held on late
The Irish held on late because of their defence. The defence intercepted two passes, and the second of them set up a touchdown. The defence stopped Miami on fourth down in the second half, and the Irish held Miami to 24 points. Notre Dame held Miami to 4.5 yards per play, and the Hurricanes were held to 24 points for the first time this season. The Irish had the better of the game, and the result was a deserved one for the home side. The win keeps Notre Dame in the playoff race, and the Irish will play at Pittsburgh on Saturday, 14 November.
What the Notre Dame win means for the playoff race
The result keeps Notre Dame in the race for the College Football Playoff. The Irish are 7-3 overall, and they have two games left. They will play at Pittsburgh on Saturday, 14 November, and they will finish the season at home against Syracuse on 28 November. Miami will play at Virginia Tech on Saturday, 14 November, and the Hurricanes will finish at home against Pittsburgh on 28 November. The two teams could meet again in the ACC title game, and the result on Saturday will give Notre Dame confidence if that happens. For Miami, the loss ends a run of wins over the Irish, and the Hurricanes will need to regroup quickly. The win was one of the biggest upsets of the college football weekend, and it gave the Irish a boost in the playoff race.