Notre Dame didn’t just beat Purdue on Saturday afternoon. It put the game away early, kept control throughout, and walked off with a 49-10 win that checked every box the Fighting Irish needed to hit against an in-state rival they’ve handled for years.
That part of the story is familiar enough. Notre Dame has now won 11 straight against Purdue, and the Boilermakers still haven’t broken through in this series since 19 years ago. What made this one worth sorting through was how clearly some Irish players helped themselves - and how a few others didn’t.
Aneyas Williams was the clearest beneficiary. One week after it looked like he might be headed for a new school after the season, he responded with the kind of performance that can flip a conversation fast.
Williams had entered the year as the expected starter, but after a shaky start and a sideline chewing-out after an unsportsmanlike penalty last week, he had been pushed into a backup role this weekend. Against Purdue, though, he ran with purpose every time he touched the ball.
He finished with 14 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown, and one of those runs was Notre Dame’s first gain of more than 20 yards on the ground this season. After that outing, it sure looks like Williams has grabbed the primary rushing job back.
Jonaz Walton also helped himself, even if the setting matters. Most of his work came after Notre Dame had already taken control, but the production was still real: 7 carries, 61 yards, and the longest rush of the season for the Irish with a 44-yard burst in the fourth quarter.
The true freshman had more carries against Rice, with 8, but doing it against a Big Ten opponent makes this one stand out more. It was a strong sign that he can handle Power 4 competition.
On defense, Joey O’Brien made the most of a new opportunity. With Brauntae Johnson and Luke Talich injured, O’Brien stepped into a starting safety role and looked ready for it.
He got his first career sack on a safety blitz, played 51 snaps, and added 5 tackles. Pro Football Focus gave him an 80.1 overall grade, which made him the second-highest-rated starter on defense and the top-rated player who logged more than 40 snaps.
The defense as a whole also earned a big win for Chris Ash. Purdue’s only touchdown came with 6 seconds left against Notre Dame reserves, so the final 10 points allowed barely tell the story.
The Irish piled up 6 sacks and held the Boilermakers to 40 rushing yards. Ryan Browne came in averaging nearly 300 passing yards per game, but Notre Dame smothered him down to 118 yards with no touchdowns.
Not everyone came out of the afternoon with momentum, though. Nolan James Jr. took the biggest hit among the skill players.
He had seized the starting running back job after his showing against Michigan State, but against Purdue he managed just 7 carries for 28 yards. Even if the coaches continue listing him and Williams as “or” on the official depth chart, this performance made it look like James has slipped back behind Williams.
CJ Carr also had a day that will be hard to file under progress in the Heisman conversation. He still finished with 237 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, but the outing was uneven.
His 64% completion rate marked a dip from his previous three games, and he threw his first interception of the season. If he wasn’t chasing the Heisman, that might not matter much.
But in a race that includes names like Miami’s Darian Mensah, who has an 88% completion percentage with 14 TD passes and 0 interceptions, Carr gave up ground in the individual honors picture.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Is Taking Heat While Notre Dame Gets More Good News
While USC coach Lincoln Riley was drawing criticism for his remarks after linebacker Desman Stephens II was ejected for targeting against Oregon, Notre Dame had a different kind of Sunday mood around its program. The Irish also picked up a pair of encouraging notes from their own side, with Jeremiyah Love and Joey OBrien both turning in performances that added to the positive buzz around the team.
Rileys explanation for keeping Stephens on the sideline after the ejection, and his claim that he did not see the celebrations, only added to the noise around USCs loss and the way it was handled. Notre Dame, meanwhile, kept its focus on the field and on a stretch of good news that extended beyond its own roster, with Purdue coach Barry Odom also weighing in after the Irish game. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Lost A Transfer WR In The Most Frustrating Way
Quincy Porters time at Notre Dame has hit an especially cruel snag before it ever had a chance to get started. Marcus Freeman said the transfer wide receiver will undergo season-ending patella surgery later this week, officially shutting down a 2026 campaign in which Porter never got to take a single snap for the Irish after coming over from Ohio State.
Porter had already been battling injury issues that kept pushing back his return, and the timing makes the setback sting even more. Under recent NCAA eligibility rule changes, he also cannot redshirt this season, which means 2025 is effectively gone from a roster-building standpoint and leaves Notre Dame waiting to see what comes next for a player who was supposed to add depth to the receiver room. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Got The Early Break Purdue Couldnt Recover From
Barry Odom had plenty to sort through after Purdues 49-10 loss to Notre Dame, but the Boilermakers defense drew the sharpest criticism. The first-year head coach pointed to several calls he believed hurt his team early, and the Irish took advantage as the game quickly slipped out of hand. Purdue also put itself in a difficult spot with a fake punt attempt that came close to working before turning into another swing moment for Notre Dame.
For a team trying to steady itself against FBS competition, the concern is less about one bad night than the trend it now sits in. Purdue has lost three straight games to FBS opponents, and the margins have grown each time, which only adds to the pressure to clean up the defense and avoid giving away momentum so early. [Read more 🡒]