The Fighting Irish defeat the top ranked Hurricanes 31-24 at Notre Dame Stadium, led by CJ Carr’s 319 passing yards and three touchdowns, delivering a major boost to their College Football Playoff hopes.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish earned one of their biggest victories of the 2026 season on Saturday, November 7, defeating the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes 31-24 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The win improved Notre Dame to 8-1 and strengthened its College Football Playoff hopes.
Head coach Marcus Freeman’s team entered the matchup with plenty at stake, facing the same Miami program that defeated the Irish 27-24 in their 2025 season opener. This time, Notre Dame responded with a complete performance, building a 21-point advantage before holding off a determined second half comeback.
Quarterback CJ Carr led the offensive effort, completing 29 of 40 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Wide receiver Micah Gilbert was his leading target, recording nine receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Faison caught the other scoring pass, while Nolan James Jr. added a rushing touchdown.
Notre Dame established control early, taking a 17-3 lead into halftime. The Irish extended their advantage to 24-3 early in the third quarter when Carr connected with Gilbert for their second touchdown of the night. Miami struggled to find consistency offensively during the opening half, particularly without injured wide receiver Malachi Toney.
However, the Hurricanes refused to go quietly. Quarterback Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes, connecting with Elija Lofton once and Cooper Barkate twice. Miami outscored Notre Dame 21-14 in the second half, cutting the deficit to seven points and making the closing minutes increasingly tense.
Safety Luke Talich delivered two crucial defensive plays that helped preserve the succeed. He intercepted Mensah in the third quarter and later broke up a fourth down pass intended for Lofton in the end zone with Miami threatening to get closer. Notre Dame regained possession and protected its lead through the final minutes.
The victory marked Notre Dame’s 10th all time win counter to an opponent ranked No. 1 nationally. More importantly, it avenged last season’s narrow defeat and gave the Fighting Irish a significant result In opposition to the nation's top ranked team.
Notre Dame entered the matchup ranked No. 11 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, while Miami held the No. 1 position. The success gives Freeman’s squad a stronger postseason résumé, although the Irish still need to finish the regular season successfully to secure their playoff ambitions.
Notre Dame will now turn its attention to Boston College, which visits Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, November 14. After delivering one of its most important performances of the season, the Fighting Irish will look to maintain their momentum and continue building toward a College Football Playoff appearance.
For Freeman and Notre Dame, defeating Miami was more than another victory. It was a statement next to the nation's top ranked team and a meaningful step toward establishing the Irish as serious championship contenders.