Notre Dame and Purdue will meet for the 90th time on Saturday, and the Shillelagh Trophy is back on the line inside Ross-Ade Stadium.
The matchup carries the same old rivalry edge dating all the way back to 1896, when the two first played in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame has controlled the series for a long time, with its last loss to Purdue coming in a 33-19 defeat in West Lafayette in 2007. Even with Notre Dame’s offense still searching for a complete performance, Mike Denbrock’s group has found ways to put points on the board, scoring 41, 52 and 27 in its first three games.
That said, this week looks like a chance for the Irish to press an advantage on the ground. Notre Dame’s rushing attack has been uneven through three games, never topping 165 yards in a game this season after doing that eight times last fall.
Sophomore back Nolan James Jr. gave the unit a boost against Michigan State, piling up 121 yards on 26 carries with a 4.7-yard average and a touchdown. Purdue’s defense should offer a softer landing.
The Boilermakers are 125th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game, 131st in rushing yards allowed per carry, and they’ve already given up eight rushing touchdowns, which ranks 127th. Notre Dame, meanwhile, sits 106th in yards per game at 130.0 and 116th in yards per carry at 3.6.
If there’s a week to get the run game moving, this is it.
Another spot worth watching is on Notre Dame’s left side, where sophomore tackle Will Black is looking to bounce back after a rough weekend against Michigan State. Black, who is 6-7 and 316 pounds, had trouble in pass protection and didn’t create steady movement in the run game.
He’s still one of the higher-upside players in the starting lineup, but he’ll need a better showing in his fourth career start. Purdue defensive end Jeremy Lewis is a tough assignment.
He leads the Boilermakers with eight total pressures, has three hits plus sacks on the quarterback, and has seven run stops through three games, according to Pro Football Focus. At 6-4 and 260 pounds, Lewis gives Black another real test, both as a pass blocker and in the run game.
There’s also an opening for Jaden Greathouse to make some noise. The 6-1, 212-pound slot receiver had a solid game against Rice, but he was quieter in the season opener against Wisconsin and again against Michigan State.
Notre Dame’s passing game has been spread around so far, with Jordan Faison and Gilbert each catching 13 passes on the season, and that committee approach has defined the receiving room through the first month. Greathouse could be next in line for a bigger role.
His best chance may come against Purdue slot cornerback Smiley Bradford. The 6-0, 200-pound nickel has been targeted six times and allowed six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, and he still hasn’t logged a pass breakup or an interception, according to Pro Football Focus. Greathouse has shown he can win contested catches, and Saturday gives him a chance to do it against a better opponent than Rice.
In Other News...
Quincy Porter Could Give Notre Dame A Needed Boost Soon
Quincy Porter is moving in the right direction for Notre Dame, and the latest step in his recovery offers the kind of depth update the Irish have been waiting on. The wide receiver has been doing more individual work in practice as he continues to come back from a left knee injury, a sign that his return is inching closer after a long stretch of rehab and patience.
Porter had offseason surgery and then underwent a second procedure in August, which pushed back his timeline and kept him out of full-speed work. Marcus Freeman said Porter is getting closer to playing, but he still has not been cleared for full-team drills, leaving Notre Dame to keep waiting a little longer for the boost he could provide when he is finally ready. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has A Growing O-Line Concern At The Worst Time
Notre Dames offensive line has already had to absorb an early-season hit at right guard, and Marcus Freemans latest update on Matty Augustine only reinforced that the situation remains unsettled. Augustine is making progress after suffering a foot injury before the opener, but there is still no specific timetable for his return, leaving the Irish to keep piecing together answers on the interior.
That uncertainty matters because the position has already required others to step in during recent games, and the shuffling comes at a time when stability up front is supposed to be a strength. For a team that wants to keep its offense on schedule, the longer Augustines absence stretches, the more attention this spot will draw each week. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames 2027 Class Already Has Two Commits Turning Heads
Notre Dame already has two 2027 commits making early noise at the high school level, and both are backing up their lofty recruiting profiles. EDGE Jackson Vaughn, a four-star prospect, has been active in the backfield with tackles for loss and sacks, while running back Lathan Whisenton, also a four-star, has piled up rushing yards and found the end zone in bunches.
For the Irish, it is a promising sign this far out in the cycle, especially with both players already drawing attention as high-end names in the class. Early production does not guarantee anything in recruiting, but it does give Notre Dame another reminder that the future haul it has started to build is already showing up on Friday nights. [Read more 🡒]