Notre Dame Gets the Big Win, How Do the Irish Keep the Momentum?

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finally got the win they have been searching for. The first two games of the season saw heartbreaking losses against top-ranked teams. Then an in-state foe came to town, one that Notre Dame beat handily last season. The Irish blew past Purdue 56-30. They got their first win of the season and 10th straight against the Boilermakers. Can Notre Dame keep the momentum after a big win against Purdue?

Notre Dame Gets the Win, Now Needs to Keep the Momentum

The first two games for the Irish were riddled with frustration. The first against Miami didn’t include playmakers in the game plan nearly enough. The second against Texas A&M was a poorly executed defensive performance. The first half of this contest looked like it was going to be much of the same. The Irish led Purdue 35-23 going into the half. Not the score that fans were looking for. Everyone also had to contend with a lengthy lightning delay in the second quarter. After nearly two hours, play resumed.

That delay, coupled with halftime, brought out a different Notre Dame squad. One that scored three touchdowns in the third quarter. The offense had scored 21 points in the second quarter as well, but the difference here was that the defense kept the sheet clean. The Irish were blanked in the fourth, but the damage had been done, and Notre Dame sailed to its first win.

What Was the Difference?

The most obvious difference between this game and the first two, Notre Dame played a lesser opponent, which allowed the offense to relax and play Irish football. The second clear difference was in the production of the offensive playmakers. The running back duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price finally got the production that they had been waiting for all season. Love carried the ball 19 times, down from 23 carries against the Aggies, but it didn’t matter because he averaged just over eight yards per carry in this contest. He rushed for a season-high 157 yards and tallied two touchdowns.

Love wasn’t the only back that had a productive day. Price scored four touchdowns. Three from the running back position and then a 100-yard kickoff return in the second quarter to pad the lead entering the half. Price finished the day with nine carries for 74 yards, also averaging just over eight yards per carry. Getting these two involved early is something that must continue throughout the season. Good things happen with the ball in their hands. Keeping the run game moving allows quarterback CJ Carr to open up. Carr went 10-for-12 passing on the day, didn’t throw any interceptions, and threw two touchdown passes. Did he get the ball to Jaden Greathouse? No, however, he utilized eight different receivers. Jordan Faison led the team with five catches for 105 yards and brought in a touchdown. Malachi Fields wasn’t far behind; he had two long receptions and one score.

How Was the Defense?

The defense was not producing in the first two games of the season, and it proved costly against a tough Aggies team a week ago. How the unit responded against a lesser, but still tough, Purdue squad was the focus. The defense showed up. The Irish defense had two sacks in this contest and five tackles for loss. The big ticket items, though, were in the secondary. A unit that struggled mightily entering this game hauled in two interceptions and had six defended passes. This execution is a huge step in the right direction to get Notre Dame back on track this season.

Now, don’t think it was all sunshine and rainbows. The defense still gave up 303 yards through the air to the Boilermakers, which isn’t ideal. However, they won the turnover battle, which ultimately can win close games down the stretch. Did Carr lose a fumble, yes? But his defense helped him out in this category by securing two interceptions. Another notch in the right direction for this defense? Purdue only had 76 yards rushing. No single person rushed for more than 26 yards on the day. Big runs were kept to a minimum.

Keeping This Momentum

Overall, it was a good day for the Irish. They fought through a very long lightning delay, which often brings teams back onto the field flat. Notre Dame fought through a tough first half against a bottom-of-the-barrel Big Ten team that is known for its fight. The Irish improved in areas that had plagued them in the first two games. These improvements against Purdue can carry a team in close games in the long college football season. The Irish need to keep this momentum against an Arkansas team that just lost to Memphis 31-32 this weekend. The Razorbacks went cold in the second half while the Fighting Irish used their second half to put the game away.