FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — CJ Carr matched a Notre Dame freshman record with four touchdown passes and Jeremiyah Love caught two TD passes and rushed for two more scores as the No. 22 Fighting Irish beat Arkansas 56-13 Saturday.
Carr went 22 for 30 passing for 354 yards and matched the TD passing record set by Ron Powlus, who threw for four scores in his first career game against Northwestern in 1994. Carr, a redshirt freshman, threw for 294 yards and the four TDs in the first half, leading scoring
drives of 75, 73, 75, 70, 75 and 45 yards. He did not play in the fourth quarter as Notre Dame led by 36 points.
Love caught TD passes of 7 and 34 yards, and had scoring runs of 1 and 3 yards, finishing with 14 carries and 57 yards.
The win was a needed bounce-back for Notre Dame, which entered the season ranked inside the top 10. Losses to Miami and Texas A&M to open the season dropped coach Marcus Freeman’s team from No. 6 to No. 24 before the Fighting Irish beat Purdue last week and moved up to No. 22.
“The ability to handle success is always a challenge,” Freeman said. “And the ability to handle criticism is always a challenge. I’m proud of both sides of the ball.”
Also for Notre Dame (2-2), Jadarian Price scored twice, on a 35-yard strike from Carr and on a 3-yard run. Carr also found Will Pauling with a 23-yard TD strike, and Aneyas Williams completed Notre Dame's scoring with a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Arkansas’ defense allowed 420 yards in the first half and 643 in the game. Notre Dame converted one fourth down and three third downs on what looked to be its final drive of the second quarter as Love capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive from three yards out.
But, Raylen Sharpe fumbled on Arkansas’ next offensive play, giving the ball back to the Fighting Irish at the Arkansas 45 with 19 seconds left in the half. Carr completed a 10-yard pass to Jordan Faison, then tied Powlus’ mark with a strike to Price, who raced from one side of the field to the other, needing to shake off just one arm tackle before scoring.
Arkansas (2-3) quarterback Taylen Green, who entered the game tied for third in FBS in touchdown passes, couldn't muster a response. He finished 17 of 32 passing for 207 yards with an interception and no touchdowns.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman entered the game with a tenuous hold on his job, carrying a 32-33 record over five-plus seasons. He said after the game he’s fully aware Saturday’s result will have even more Razorbacks’ fans — and perhaps decision-makers — calling for his job.
“I get it. If I was a fan I’d be mad at me, too. I’d be frustrated as hell with me,” Pittman said. “But, as long as I’m the head coach at Arkansas, I’m going to fight my butt off to get the guys out there. How long that is, it’s not, it’s partly up to me because of what we put on the field. But that’s not my call.”
Arkansas’ 42 first-half points allowed were the most the team has given up in the opening 30 minutes of a game since allowing the same total to No. 1 Southern California in 2005.
Notre Dame last scored 42 points in the first half during the 2024 season in an eventual 66-7 over Purdue in the third week of the season.
Notre Dame’s two early-season losses put the Fighting Irish’s College Football Playoff hopes in jeopardy, but Saturday’s win showed they’re far from a mediocre team.
Arkansas’ bowl chances already appear perilous. Five of the Razorbacks’ next seven opponents entered Week 5 ranked in the Top 25, with three of those five ranked inside the top 10.
Arkansas gets a bye and returns Oct. 11 at Tennessee.
Notre Dame hosts Boise State on Saturday.
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