Notre Dame got a reminder on Saturday night that talent alone won’t carry CJ Carr through every spotlight moment.
The Fighting Irish quarterback still looks like a player built for the next level. That much hasn’t changed.
But against BYU, Carr turned in what might have been the roughest outing of his career, and Notre Dame paid for it in a 28-24 loss. If the Irish are going to chase a national championship, that version of Carr can’t show up again.
BYU defensive coordinator Brady Poppinga said earlier in the week that the key to slowing Carr was to confuse him and force hesitation. On the field, that plan worked. From the opening series, Carr looked uncomfortable and out of rhythm, and the mistakes came early enough to shape the whole game.
Twice, Carr had receivers wide open for what should have been easy touchdowns and badly overthrew both. He also missed a tight end in the end zone by about 10 feet on another chance to put points on the board. Even when he was moving the offense, it often came on scrambling, unconventional completions rather than the crisp, controlled throws Notre Dame has come to expect.
His overall numbers weren’t disastrous, and the Irish were still in position late, but that doesn’t erase the bigger issue: Notre Dame should not have to survive a Top 10 opponent while its quarterback struggles to this degree.
BYU got the difference-maker performance from Bear Bachmeier. He was the player who carried the Cougars, going 22 for 36 for 236 yards and a touchdown through the air while also running for 45 yards and two scores.
He even caught a touchdown pass on a trick play. After a shaky third quarter, Bachmeier helped BYU march down the field and grab a 28-24 lead with less than two minutes left.
Carr did show what Notre Dame wants from him on the final possession. He pushed the Irish down the field and kept the drive alive with several important completions.
But the same accuracy issues kept popping up when the margin tightened. A number of his throws into the end zone had almost no chance, and although his final attempt looked like it should have drawn pass interference, it still wasn’t a clean delivery.
Now the Irish are staring at a season that may come down to one game if they want to reach the College Football Playoff. Miami is next, and it’s hard to imagine Notre Dame getting past the Hurricanes if Carr performs on November 7 the way he did on October 17. Miami’s offense is even better than BYU’s, and that game has a real chance to turn into a shootout.
Carr also needs to be sharper against SMU. The encouraging part for Notre Dame is that he clearly can be better. The troubling part is that after a so-so showing in the biggest game of the season so far, he still has to prove it against the best competition.
In Other News...
Rece Davis Turns BYU Win Into Bigger Officiating Fight
Notre Dames loss to BYU has taken on a second life after Rece Davis weighed in on the officiating mistakes that left the Fighting Irish without a final snap. The Big 12 later acknowledged that one second remained on the clock when the last play ended, and said it would review how the replay officiating process handled the sequence.
Davis also pushed the conversation beyond one night in Provo, tying the blown clock situation to the broader debate around the College Football Playoff and what expanded access should mean for teams caught in games decided by rulings like this. For Notre Dame, the frustration is not just the result, but the feeling that the final moments were never properly given a chance to play out. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Carr Just Became Notre Dames Biggest Title Question
CJ Carrs latest outing against BYU came with the kind of growing pains Notre Dame cant ignore for long. The freshman quarterback completed a career-low 55.1% of his passes and dealt with a career-high 13 pressures, a rough combination in a 28-24 loss that left the Irish looking for steadier play from the position that usually defines their ceiling.
What made the afternoon sting even more was the contrast on the other sideline, where Bear Bachmeier delivered the kind of performance that can change a seasons conversation. Carrs inconsistent downfield passing helped derail Notre Dame in a tight game, and while one loss does not define a quarterback, it does sharpen the questions around how quickly the Irish can count on him to carry them when the margin gets thin. [Read more 🡒]
Former Irish Stars Made Their Presence Felt Across The NFL Sunday
Former Notre Dame players kept showing up in key moments across the NFL in Week 6, a reminder of how far the Irish pipeline reaches on Sundays. Audric Estim, Cam Hart and Michael Mayer were among the alumni who made their presence felt, with Mayer leading his team in receptions and several other former Irish standouts contributing tackles, catches and timely plays throughout the weekend.
Estim turned in a milestone performance, while Hart came up with one of the more notable defensive plays of the week by picking off a pass in the red zone. For Notre Dame fans, it was the kind of Sunday that underlined the programs pro footprint, with familiar names popping up all over the league and adding another layer to what has been a strong start to the NFL season for the Irish alumni group. [Read more 🡒]