Nick Saban didn’t exactly tiptoe around Notre Dame’s offense when he weighed in recently, and CJ Carr is the one left holding the challenge. The Hall of Fame coach, now out of the sideline grind, had plenty to say about the Irish and their quarterback, and Carr now gets the chance to answer it on the field in one of Notre Dame’s biggest games.
“Notre Dame hasn’t been able to put it together in big games,” Saban said during a recent podcast appearance. “They got guys wide (expletive) open in the BYU game and hell, I can throw it to them.
If a guy is open by 10 yards, you don’t have to make a perfect pass. Just get the ball to them.”
That criticism may have been aimed at the whole offense, but it’s hard not to hear Carr’s name in the background. And while Saban’s words were blunt, they weren’t coming out of nowhere. Carr has built a reputation for struggling against top-20 teams, and the BYU game is the clearest example: he completed 27 of 49 passes and didn’t throw a touchdown.
Saturday night against Miami gives him a different stage, and one that could change the conversation fast. In his first collegiate start against the Hurricanes, Carr was shaky in the first half before settling in after the break.
He finished 19 of 30 for 221 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. That performance is part of why Miami coach Mario Cristobal has so much respect for what Carr can do.
The problem with Carr isn’t that he can’t make the throws. When he’s locked in, he can be one of the most accurate passers in the sport.
The issue is the flip side: when he’s off, he’s very, very off. Even in Notre Dame wins like the North Carolina game, there have been stretches where his accuracy and decision-making haven’t looked sharp.
That’s where Saban’s criticism lands hardest. It’s the decision-making that seems to bother him most, and Carr would be wise to take that seriously.
Against Miami, the answer may not be chasing the big play. It may be taking what the defense gives him, even if that means working underneath and moving the ball in small chunks.
Notre Dame has the pieces to make that approach work. Carr has enough reliable receivers around him, and the Irish also bring a three-headed monster at running back. If he can stay patient and avoid forcing the issue, Notre Dame has the offensive firepower to make life difficult for Miami.
For Carr, this is about more than just one game. It’s a chance to show he can handle what’s in front of him, not just what he wants to see. And if he does that, the noise around Saban’s criticism gets a lot quieter.
In Other News...
Tyler Carr Just Got The Kind Of Miami Praise Notre Dame Fans Notice
Miami coach Mario Cristobal didnt exactly hand Notre Dame a scouting report in the usual dry, coach-speak way. He singled out Tyler Carr for the kind of growth that gets noticed around the country, crediting the quarterbacks development since last seasons opener and pointing to the way he has grown as both a passer and a runner. Cristobal also praised Carrs control of the offense and his accuracy when the play-calling asks him to make quick decisions.
For Notre Dame, praise from an opponent of Miamis caliber only adds to the intrigue around this matchup. Carr now has a chance to back up that reputation against a strong defense and show that his progress is more than just a compliment from the other sideline. How he handles that stage will say plenty about where his game stands now, and how far the Irish offense can go with him steering it. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Sudeikis Brings A Personal Notre Dame Twist To Miami Showdown
Jason Sudeikis is set to be the celebrity guest picker on ESPNs College GameDay for Week 9, and the timing gives the Notre Dame-Miami matchup an extra layer of nostalgia. Sudeikis did not attend Notre Dame himself, but his ties to the program run deep through his grandfather and his own longtime affection for the Irish, making him a fitting face for a game that already carries plenty of history.
He also has a personal link to one of the sports most famous meetings between these schools, having been present for the 1988 Notre Dame-Miami showdown known as Catholics vs. Convicts. With College GameDay heading into another chapter of that rivalry, Sudeikis brings more than celebrity appeal to the set, and Notre Dame fans will have a familiar name attached to a weekend built around one of the programs most recognizable stages. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Notre Dame Hype Just Reached Another Level
The buzz around Miamis trip to Notre Dame has already spilled into the ticket market, where the matchup has become the most expensive seat on the 2026 college football calendar. At Notre Dame Stadium, the average purchase price has climbed to $753, a record for the venue and a clear sign that fans are treating this one like a marquee event before either team even takes the field.
It is easy to see why the price keeps rising. Games with playoff implications and high national profiles have been pushing the market all season, and this one fits that mold with Notre Dame hosting Miami in a Saturday night showcase on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET. For a program that always draws attention at home, this is the kind of matchup that turns a regular trip to South Bend into one of the hottest tickets in the sport. [Read more 🡒]