Notre Dame left West Lafayette with a 49-10 win over Purdue and kept the Shillelagh Trophy in South Bend, and there was never much doubt once the Irish seized control late in the first quarter.
From there, the game turned into a long stretch of Notre Dame doing what it wanted. The Irish piled up a 35-0 halftime lead, never trailed, and spent most of the afternoon in cruise control. They moved to 4-0, and while it wasn’t a flawless outing, it was the kind of road win that leaves plenty to like.
The first half looked the part of a championship-level performance. Notre Dame was sharp, fast, and completely in charge.
The third quarter, though, brought a different feel. The Irish lost some of that edge after the break, and the scoreboard will show Purdue’s late points, but that touchdown came with the starters out there, so the defense can mostly move on from it.
It was close to a complete game, just not quite all the way there.
One of the biggest takeaways was Micah Gilbert’s continued rise. He wasn’t the wideout most people expected to break through, especially with other receivers drawing more attention before the season.
But he’s done it in more than one week now, which makes this feel real instead of like a one-off. He’s stretching the field, and the run game’s improvement has come right alongside his emergence.
Jaden Greathouse remains one of the more puzzling players on the roster. The talent is obvious, and the CFP stretch looked like it could be his breakout moment, but he’s either been sidelined or quiet in most of the games he’s played.
He did reach the 1,000-yard career mark, but the bigger question still hangs over him. There’s time left this season for him to change that.
In the backfield, Jonaz Walton made a strong case for more first-team work. Notre Dame’s run game took a step forward against Purdue, and the freshman stood out with a 44-yard run, the longest rush of the season for the Irish.
He looked good on his other carries too, even if he didn’t punch one in after the big play. Aneyas Williams finally showed something, while Nolan James Jr. had a tougher day.
He looks like the kind of back who gets better the longer he goes, but he didn’t get enough chances to settle in. Overall, the group was much better.
The defense was the loudest statement of the day. Purdue had been putting up 44, 36, and 38 points in its first three games, and Notre Dame held the Boilermakers to 10, with the only touchdown coming in the final minute.
While the first-team defense was still on the field, Purdue managed just a third-quarter field goal. Notre Dame also finished with six sacks and nine tackles-for-loss, the kind of numbers that make a unit look every bit as dangerous as its reputation suggests.
This is a defense that belongs in the short list of the best in the country.
Joey O’Brien had a strong first start and looked ready for the stage. The buzz around him turned out to be justified, because he handled the moment without looking overwhelmed.
He finished third on the team in total tackles, recorded his first sack, and kept the back end clean without any major breakdowns. That matters for a safety, and it points to a position that appears set for the future, even if that future could end up being a short one for O’Brien.
Rodney Dunham added another reason to think big about this freshman class. Notre Dame’s next three to five seasons are going to be shaped by that group, and Dunham is already forcing his way into the picture.
The depth chart ahead of him is crowded, but he’s earned playing time and picked up his first career sack in the fourth quarter. He was unblocked on the play, but he still had to finish it, and he did.
If this keeps going, his role should keep growing.
Saturday also helped Notre Dame beyond its own result. Wisconsin knocked off No.
13 Penn State 24-20 in Happy Valley, making the Irish’s season-opening win look even better. SMU stayed unbeaten with a 34-24 win over Missouri State.
Miami beat Central Michigan in convincing fashion, and Florida upset Ole Miss in a top-25 game. Since the Rebels were ranked just behind Notre Dame, any undefeated loss helps the Irish’s cause.
It was a good weekend all around for Notre Dame.
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 🡒]