Notre Dame wasted no time putting Rice in a hole and never let up, rolling to a 52-0 win at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 12, 2026.
The Irish opened the game with points off a turnover and kept stacking scores from there. Boubacar Traore’s 24-yard fumble return gave Notre Dame a 7-0 lead at 14:46 of the first quarter, with Spencer Porath adding the kick.
Just over a minute later, Notre Dame was back in the end zone after a short three-play drive. Aneyas Williams ripped off a 7-yard run, CJ Carr hit Jaden Greathouse for 6 yards, and the Irish finished the march to go up 14-0.
Carr kept the pressure on in the first quarter, finding Jordan Faison for an 11-yard touchdown at 3:51. That score capped a seven-play, 58-yard drive that featured Carr completions of 23 yards to Greathouse and 9 yards to Faison.
The second quarter brought more of the same. Notre Dame pushed the margin to 28-0 on Nolan James Jr.’s 1-yard run at 13:41, a drive that covered 64 yards in eight plays and included a 19-yard throw to Greathouse, an 18-yard pass to Matt Jefferey and a 15-yard run by James.
The Irish added two more scores before halftime. One came on a two-play, 6-yard possession after a fumble, finished by Nolan James Jr. on a 5-yard run. Another followed a punt and took only two plays and 38 yards, extending the lead to 42-0.
Carr and the Notre Dame offense were still piling it on in the third quarter. Carr connected with Cooper Flanagan on a 2-yard touchdown pass at 11:41, finishing a six-play, 75-yard drive sparked by Carr’s 56-yard strike to Jerome Bettis Jr.
Porath then added a 36-yard field goal at 4:21 to make it 52-0. That scoring march lasted 10 plays and 49 yards, with Noah Grubbs completing passes of 12 and 16 yards to Elijah Burress and Kedren Young contributing a 3-yard run.
The fourth quarter passed without any scoring, and Rice never found the end zone. Notre Dame finished with all 52 points in a shutout at home.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Fans Just Got Their First Real Look At Noah Grubbs
Noah Grubbs had been on Notre Dames radar for months, but Saturdays game against Rice gave fans their first real look at the freshman quarterback in live action after CJ Carr exited. Grubbs arrived on campus early in January, got a full spring to settle in, and had already shown up in practices and the spring game, so the debut did not come out of nowhere - it just carried a different kind of weight once the lights came on.
At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Grubbs brings the kind of frame and arm talent that naturally invites attention in South Bend. Quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli has even pointed to the similarity in Grubbs strong-armed style and Carrs freshman profile, which makes Notre Dames quarterback depth chart all the more interesting as the season unfolds. The bigger question now is how quickly the freshman can turn a first glimpse into something the staff can actually lean on. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is Suddenly In The No. 1 Debate After Week 2
Week 2 brought the kind of shakeup that can turn a routine early-season ranking into a national argument, and Notre Dame found itself right in the middle of it. Texas pulled off the biggest result of the weekend by beating No. 1 Ohio State late, while other contenders around the top of the AP poll also stumbled, creating the kind of opening that forces voters to rethink the entire order.
For Notre Dame, the conversation is less about simply moving up and more about how high the Irish can climb in a crowded field that also includes Georgia. With Oregon and Oklahoma taking losses that could send them sliding, the top of the poll is suddenly crowded with possibilities, and Notre Dame has done enough early to stay in the mix as the new rankings start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Finally Looked Like The Team Fans Were Waiting For
After a season opener that left Notre Dame searching for a cleaner rhythm, the home opener brought the kind of performance fans had been waiting to see. The Irish overwhelmed Rice 52-0 with a fast, efficient start and never let the game drift out of their control, getting big contributions on both sides of the ball as the offense moved with purpose and the defense kept the shutout intact.
CJ Carr settled in immediately and looked comfortable directing the attack, while safety Adon Shuler and wide receiver Jordan Faison added to a night that felt complete from the start. For Notre Dame, it was the sort of lopsided win that does more than pad a scoreline, it offers a clearer sense of what this team can look like when the pieces are working together. [Read more 🡒]