MIAMI GARDENS, FL — The University of Notre Dame football fell to 0-1 on the season after a 27-24 loss to No. 10 Miami FL (1-0) at a rainy and muggy Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, Sunday night. The Hurricanes utilized a balanced offensive attack and one spectacular touchdown catch before halftime to take control of the game at the break. An early fourth-quarter Irish rally was thwarted by a double-tipped interception but Notre Dame persevered to tie the game with 3:21 remaining on a CJ Carr seven-yard touchdown run.
The Hurricanes then drove 46 yards in 10 plays and kicked a game-winning 47-yard field goal with 1:14 left in the game.
Freshman quarterback CJ Carr finished 19 of 30 with three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in his first career start, leading the Irish on a game-tying touchdown drive in the game’s final minutes. Jadarian Price led the Irish with 45 yards rushing, while Eli Raridon caught five passes for 97, including a 65-yard grab on Notre Dame’s late touchdown drive.
Senior safety Jalen Stroman paced the Irish defensive effort with nine tackles, while Boubacar Traore was fantastic in his first game back after an injury, adding six tackles and a sack.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame received the opening kickoff which allowed freshman quarterback CJ Carr, making his first career start, an opportunity to start off with the ball. Carr completed his first four throws, three of them caught by Jordan Faison and the last two for first downs. The drive stalled just across midfield, however and the Irish punt buried the Hurricanes at the five-yard line.
The Irish defense matched its opponent on its first chance of the game, giving up a couple first downs before forcing a punt of its own. Sophomore Boubacar Traore, seeing his first action since missing the last nine games of the season in 2024, stuffed a run on third and two to force the Hurricane punt.
Malachi Fields committed the first turnover of the game on Notre Dame’s first play after the punt, taking a middle screen but seeing the wet ball slip out of hands on a hit. Miami picked up a first down but the Irish defense stood strong. A tackle-for-loss by Kyngstonn Vilamu-Asa forced a third and eight at the 10-yard line then defensive tackle Jared Dawson knocked down the pass attempt. The Hurricanes came on for a field goal attempt but the snap was dribbled back to the holder. The kick was never attempted and the Irish defense recorded the biggest stop of the game thus far.
Notre Dame’s offense was unable to move the ball and would punt the ball again leading to Miami’s first scoring drive. The Hurricanes drove 70 yards in eight plays, ending with a 28-yard touchdown pass.
The Irish offensive unit would answer with their own impressive drive on the next possession. Jadarian Price picked up a big first down on a third and two run, then burst for 14 yards to the Miami 44-yard line. Carr then found Micah Gilbert for his first career catch and a first down to keep the ball moving. Price was up next, bursting through a big hole on the left side behind Anthonie Knapp and a block from Gilbert to scamper for 30 yards to the three-yard line.
The two plays that followed were sub par, however and the Irish would end up with third and goal at the seven. Carr dropped back, rolled right, then twisted back left before finding Gilbert wide open in the right side of the end zone for his first career touchdown toss – which also was Gilbert’s first career scoring reception.
The Miami offense came right back down the field and scored just before halftime on a one-handed leaping catch from 20 yards out with just 12 seconds remaining.
The Hurricane lead grew to 14 points after the home team’s first drive of the second half. Mixing the run and pass over the course of 12 plays Miami took firm control of the game on a five-yard rush to cap the 75-yard drive.
The teams traded punts back and forth before the Notre Dame offense was able to answer. Tight end Eli Raridon got the offense moving with a first down catch, then Carr looked down the right sidelines for a back shoulder throw to Fields. He made his own spectacular catch, cradling the ball with one hand cleanly to the ground for a 27-yard gain. Jeremiyah Love then looked like he ran to the five-yard line, but a borderline holding call brought the run back. That penalty, however, was matched by a Miami defensive pass interference call on the next play.
The drive was pushed to third and five at the eight but Carr picked up six on a draw up the middle and one play later a Miami personal foul moved the ball to the one-yard line. After the quarter break, Carr found a wide open Faison at the right pylon to cut the Miami lead to seven points with 14:55 remaining.
Notre Dame’s defense earned exactly what they needed on the next drive, pushing Miami to a third and long. Boubacar Traore then pulled off a great spin move on the pass rush to record Notre Dame’s first sack of the season.
The surge in momentum was short-lived, however. On Notre Dame’s first play Carr looked wide for a screen that was deflected once, twice then a third time and eventually plucked out of the air by the Hurricanes and returned 15 yards to the Irish 28-yard line.
The defense stood up again, stoning three straight Miami runs and forcing a 38-yard field goal. The Hurricanes had yet another double-digit lead at 24-14 with 9:42 left in the game.
The Irish would answer yet again. Love caught a pass for a first down, Fields added 20 yards on a catch and Notre Dame found itself on the Miami 21-yard line. Miami defensive pressure forced an intentional grounding, however, and the Irish had to settle for a Noah Burnette 39-yard field goal to cut the lead to seven points at 5:32 on the clock.
Requiring yet another defensive stop the Notre Dame group stepped up yet again, forcing a quick three-and-out with a third-down pressure from defensive end Bryce Young.
The Irish had the ball with 4:35 left and Carr scrambled out of the pocket on the first play and found a wide open Raridon behind the Miami defense for 65 yards to the 10-yard line. Two plays later Carr kept the ball up the middle for a touchdown run and the Irish had tied the game at 24-24 with 3:21 left.
Aided by a defensive pass interference call, Miami edged into field goal range and Carter Davis drilled a 47-yard field goal with 1:04 remaining to earn the win for the Hurricanes.
Notre Dame attempted a last second drive without any timeouts (which were used on the preceding Miami field goal drive) and back-to-back sacks by the Hurricane defense melted the game’s final seconds off the clock.