Notre Dame defeats No. 1 Miami 31-24 to keep playoff bid alive
CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns as the Irish avenged their 2025 loss, leaving only two undefeated teams in college football.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
Fourth-ranked Notre Dame defeated No. 1 Miami 31-24 on Saturday night, securing a win that preserves its national championship aspirations. Quarterback CJ Carr completed 319 passing yards and threw three touchdown passes to lead the Irish past the Hurricanes.
Notre Dame entered the game with a 8-1 record and a memory of a 27-24 loss to Miami in the previous season, a result that kept the Irish out of the College Football Playoff. The team started fast, building a 21-point lead that it maintained throughout the contest. Micah Gilbert caught two of Carr's scoring passes, while Jordan Faison secured the third aerial score. Nolan James Jr. added a rushing touchdown for the Irish.
Miami, which is also 8-1, struggled early without injured wide receiver Malachi Toney. The Hurricanes trailed 24-3 early in the third quarter. Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes to pull Miami within striking distance twice. Cooper Barkate caught two of those passes, and Elija Lofton caught the third.
The game tightened in the final minutes. With 3:36 remaining, Lofton appeared to catch a pass in the end zone for a fourth-down conversion that would have narrowed the gap to one point. Notre Dame linebacker Luke Talich knocked the ball away. Officials ruled the catch incomplete, giving Miami the ball on downs. Notre Dame ran out the clock to secure the 31-24 victory.
The result leaves only two undefeated teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Utah and UCLA both won Saturday to move to 9-0. This marks the first time since 2003 that only two teams have remained unbeaten after nine games. TCU and Oklahoma were the last pair to achieve that feat.
Conditions were cold at Notre Dame Stadium, where the temperature was 40 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff and dropped to the mid-30s during the game. Forty-three NFL scouts attended the game. The Irish honored several former players and coaches, including Joe Montana, Jerome Bettis Sr., and Pat Murphy.
Miami has a 44-7 record when playing as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25. The Hurricanes are 0-2 against Notre Dame in that specific ranking scenario. Notre Dame improved to 10-17-1 against No. 1 teams, marking its first win over a top-ranked opponent in six years. The Irish next host Boston College, while Miami hosts Duke, both next Saturday.
