Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Game Information
Week: 4
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Head Coach – Marcus Freeman
Seasons at School (as head coach): 4
Overall Coaching Record:
43-122021-2026: Notre Dame – 43-12
2025 Results
Overall Record: 10-2
Miami (FL): L – 24-27
Texas A&M: L – 40-41
Purdue: W – 56-30
Arkansas: W – 56-13
Boise State: W – 28-7
NC State: W – 36-7
(20) USC: W – 34-24
Boston College: W – 25-10
Navy: W – 49-10
(22) Pittsburgh: W – 37-15
Syracuse: W – 70-7
Stanford: W – 49-20
2025 Stat Leaders
Offense
Passing Yards: CJ Carr – 2741 (Returning)
Touchdown Passes:
CJ Carr – 24
Rushing Yards: Jeremiyah Love – 1372
Rushing Touchdowns: Jeremiyah Love – 18
Receiving Yards: Jordan Faison – 640 (Returning)
Receiving Touchdowns: Malachi Fields – 5
Total Touchdowns: Jeremiyah Love – 21
Defense
Tackles: Drayk Bowen – 67 (Returning)
Sacks: Boubacar Traore – 6.5 (Returning)
Tackles for Loss: Boubacar Traore – 10
Interceptions: Leonard Moore – 5 (Returning)
2026 Key Players
Offense
Quarterback: CJ Carr
Offensive Line: Anthonie Knapp (LG)
Running Back: Aneyas Williams
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Jordan Faison
Defense
Defensive Line: Boubacar Traore
Linebacker: Drayk Bowen
Secondary: Leonard Moore (CB), Brauntae Johnson (S)
2026 Media Predictions
Preseason Top 10 (AP Poll isn’t out yet and Notre Dame isn’t in a conference)
My Thoughts
This is the first game on the schedule that Purdue doesn’t have any business winning. I’m not saying they can’t win this game, but they shouldn’t, based on the gulf in talent between the two programs. On a more positive note, the Boilermakers made Notre Dame earn it last season despite the gulf in talent being even wider. Jeremiyah Love is off to the NFL and can’t hurt us anymore, as is his backup and fellow first-round draft pick, Jadarian Price. Returning back Aneyas Williams is a 4* talent, but you’ve got to think that Notre Dame’s run game might suffer some without their dynamic duo from last season.
Quarterback CJ Carr returns after a successful freshman season. He grew into the position, but a slowish start cost the Fighting Irish the first two games and, ultimately, a spot in the College Football Playoffs. I guess the committee expects more than two wins over fringe top 20 teams; you’ll excuse me if I don’t shed any tears. Interestingly enough, neither Purdue nor Notre Dame made a bowl game last season because the Fighting Irish balled up their fists, stomped their feet, and threw an epic temper tantrum after being left out of the playoffs. It’s nice to see that while college football is in the midst of generational changes, Notre Dame remains the same entitled brats we all love to hate.
Are they better than Purdue? Absolutely
Is it fun to watch them suffer? Also, Absolutely
Carr will have to shoulder a heavier burden this season. It’s probably going to take more than 12 pass attempts to beat the Boilermakers this season without an NFL backfield. It’s honestly tough to evaluate Carr because of Notre Dame’s cupcake schedule after Miami and Texas A&M started things off. Against the best two defenses on their schedule, he threw for a combined 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and then didn’t play another team capable of scaring them, with the possible exception of USC, where he threw for 136 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. I’m not saying Carr isn’t going to be a good, or even great, this season, but he’s not as proven a commodity as some might have you believe.
Purdue’s problem is that Notre Dame should have one of the best offensive lines in the country, and Marcus Freeman isn’t afraid to let them win the game. The Boilermakers are deeper on the defense this season, but holding up against the Fighting Irish run game, along with Carr throwing the ball to dynamic playmakers like Jordan Faison and their duo of Ohio State receiver transfers (Quincy Porter & Mylan Graham), is probably a bridge too far for the reconstituted defense, especially considering the Notre Dame defense.
The defense has studs at every level. Boubacar Traore is back at defensive end after leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss in 2025. Leading tackler Drayk Bowen returns to run the defense from middle linebacker, and the secondary features two preseason All-Americans in cornerback Louis Moore and safety Brauntae Johnson. Ryan Browne and company have to find a way to move the ball against one of the best defenses in the country in order to keep the Notre Dame offensive line from grinding the Boilermaker defensive line into a thin paste by the end of the second half.
I’m not optimistic.
At the end of the day, there are levels to college football, and Notre Dame and Purdue, while sharing a state, don’t share a level. Coach Odom has this thing pointed in the right direction, but that doesn’t mean much against a team already on top like the Fighting Irish.
Sometimes it be like that.
