Notre Dame rolled to a win over rival Purdue to claim the Shillelagh Trophy for the eleventh straight time
West Lafayette, Ind. - Notre Dame did everything it wanted to do (almost) in a convincing 49-10 win over Purdue in the 90th all-time meeting between two old rivals. The Fighting Irish (4-0) barely seemed to break a sweat at times while outgaining the Boilermakers (1-3) 444-218.
CJ Carr accounted for four total touchdowns while completing 14 of 22 passes for 237 yards. He threw three touchdowns to three different receivers and ran for his second TD of the season as well. The only stain on Carr’s otherwise successful day was a third quarter interception, his first of the season.
Notre Dame’s defense grounded a Purdue passing attack that came into the game ranked No. 3 nationally at 366.7 yards per game. Ryan Browne hadn’t thrown for less than 317 yards in his first three games and was one of just two QBs in the nation to pass for more than 1,000 yards through three games, but he was 18 of 28 for just 111 yards and was sacked 4.0 times before giving way to backup Evans Chuba with his team down 42-3 in the fourth quarter.
Carr completed passes to seven different receiving targets, including a pair of passes to Jaden Greathouse, who passed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in the game, for 29 yards. He also hit tight ends James Flanigan and Cooper Flanagan with three completions for 38 combined yards.
Virtually the only thing that didn’t go Notre Dame’s way was the continuation of a lackluster running game. The Irish had 27 carries for 118 yards (4.7) with 11:19 to play while holding a 42-3 advantage when backup QB Noah Grubbs, who threw his first career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, entered the game. They finished with 177 yards on 32 carries (5.5), after a 44-yard fourth quarter run by freshman Jonaz Walton, for the longest run play of the season for the Irish.
Purdue won the pregame coin toss and elected to receive rather than defer. Bryce Young dropped Browne for a loss of 9 on 1st down and the Boilermakers went 3-and-out to start the game.
After an Irish punt, Purdue drove to the Notre Dame 47, where up man Antonio Harris was stopped on a fake punt on 4th and 4. Carr quickly drove the Irish 53 yards in four plays, finishing it with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Micah Gilbert.
Notre Dame got its long-awaited first run of 20 or more yards on its next drive when Aneyas Williams, who didn’t start for the first time this season, scored from 22 yards out. It was the fourth play of an 86-yard drive that was highlighted by a 56-yard catch and run by Gilbert.
Carr capped a 13-play, 85-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run to give the Irish a TD on their third straight possession. Carr hit tight ends James Flanigan and Cooper Flanagan for gains of 9 and 27 yards, respectively, earlier in the drive. Notre Dame led 21-0 with 5:47 left in the first half after the score.
Drayk Bowen followed that by scooping up a fumble and rumbling in from 15 yards out to make it 28-0 on Purdue’s next drive. The Boilers faced 3rd and 8, and Young dislodged the ball from Browne when he thundered into the quarterback’s chest. Bowen scooped and scored to give the Irish defense its third touchdown of the season.
It took just six plays and 1:19 for the Irish to drive 49 yards in the closing minutes of the first half to score again. Carr’s second touchdown pass of the day went 3 yards to Nolan James, Jr. for the score to make it 35-0 with :29 seconds left in the half.
Notre Dame had the ball to start the second half, but Carr made his first mistake of the season when he was intercepted by Charles Correa on 3rd down. Purdue took over at the Irish 31. They moved the ball to the 4, but Browne was chased from the pocket and fired incomplete through the end zone on 4th down.
After an Irish 3-and-out, Purdue started its next drive at the 50 and got its first points of the game with a 47-yard field goal from Echeverria Lozano to make it a 35-3 game with 4:10 to play in the third quarter.
The Fighting Irish responded with their fifth touchdown drive of the day to make it 42-3. Carr hit Flanagan for a short score to cap a 10-play, 73-yard drive for the quarterback’s fourth total touchdown of the day.
Grubb threw his first career touchdown pass with 4:05 remaining when he hit Matt Jeffrey from four yards out. The score was set up by Walton's long run. Purdue scored its only touchdown with :06 seconds left to cap the day's scoring.
