Notre Dame’s offense was nearly unstoppable, and its defense looked much improved in Saturday’s 56-13 road win over Arkansas. The Fighting Irish (2-2) got six combined touchdowns from running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price for the second straight week while quarterback CJ Carr set career highs in passing yards and touchdown passes by halftime in the first ever meeting with the Razorbacks (2-3), who were sent to their third consecutive loss.
Love had 127 total yards and scored two touchdowns each on the ground and via receptions while Price had 121 total yards and scored on a touchdown carry and a 35-yard reception. Carr was 22 of 30 for 354 yards and four touchdown passes to top the 300-yard mark in his fourth career start as the Fighting Irish gained a season-high 641 total offensive yards.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s defense, which had surrendered 32.6 points and 402 yards per game during a 1-2 start to the season, held the nation’s No. 8 offense (552 ypg) to 365 total yards. Razorback quarterback Taylen Green stayed in the game against Notre Dame’s reserves late in the game with the Irish up 56-13.
Green finished with a season low 288 total yards after entering the game as the nation’s leader with 387.8 yards per game. He was intercepted by Luke Talich with 5:19 left in the blowout. Adon Shuler led the Irish with nine tackles while Jordan Botelho, Boubacar Traore and Jaylen Sneed each had a sack.
The Fighting Irish led 42-13 at halftime. It marked the most points surrendered by any SEC team to a visiting non-conference foe in 20 years. Notre Dame’s offense hit 14 explosive plays (10-plus rushing yards/15-plus passing yards) in the first half for the most such plays by a visiting non-conference team against an SEC team in the last 14 years.
Arkansas won the coin toss and took the ball first. Green bolted for a 14-yard run on the game’s second play and hit O’Mega Blake deep over the middle on a 33-yard pass on the next play. The drive stalled at the Irish 21 and settled for a 39-yard field goal from Scott Starzyk to open the scoring.
The Fighting Irish answered with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that was capped with a one-yard touchdown run by Love. The Irish had four explosive plays on the drive as Carr hit pass of 21 and 25 yards to Malachi Fields and Love, respectively while Love hit a 16-yard run on 3rd and 7 and Price bolted up the middle for 15 yards to set up Love’s TD carry.
The Irish defense forced a 3-and-out on Arkansas’ second drive and the offense quickly zipped down the field again. Carr hit Love for a seven-yard TD pass to wrap-up the six-play, 73-yard drive that saw Notre Dame hit three more explosives that covered 18, 22 and 20 yards.
The Razorbacks put on their running shoes on their next drive when they ran the ball 11 times during their 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Offensive lineman Shaq McRoy, who is 6-8 and 344 pounds, took Green’s handoff to reach the end zone on a one-yard run.
Carr hit Will Pauling for a 23-yard touchdown on Notre Dame’s third drive. It was Carr’s second TD pass of the day and the first at Notre Dame for Pauling, who transferred from Wisconsin this season.
After Notre Dame’s defense posted another 3-and-out, the Irish offense made short work of the Hog’s defense to reach the endzone again. Carr’s third touchdown pass of the day came on a short throw to Love, who weaved threw a wall of blockers for his third touchdown on a 34-yard pass. It was Notre Dame’s 11th explosive offensive play of the first half and put the Irish up 28-10.
Green hit a 54-yard run down the right sideline to the Irish 21 but the ND defense stiffened. Traore dropped Green for a 10-yard loss on the next play and the Razorbacks ultimately settled for a 49-yard field goal to make Notre Dame’s lead 28-13 with 3:48 left in the first half.
Love’s 3-yard run with 35 seconds left in the first half gave him his fourth touchdown of the half. The Irish picked up eight yards on 4th and 2 to extend the 12-play drive four plays earlier.
It looked like that would be ND’s last chance to score in the half but Rylen Sharp fumbled on a strip by Irish safety Shuler, who recovered at the Arkansas 45. Carr hit Price, who ran 35 yards across the grain to the end zone for Carr’s fourth TD of the half.
Carr finished the first half by completing 16 of 22 passes for 294 yards and four scores. Notre Dame had 420 total yards, 128 by Love, compared to 208 total yards for Arkansas.
Notre Dame’s scoring run ended on its first possession of the second half when the Irish turned the ball over on downs. Arkansas then drove to the Irish 13 before turning it over on downs themselves. The Irish then drove 87 yards for their seventh touchdown of the day, this one on a 16-yard run by Price, who scored for the sixth time in the last two games.
After Price’s 16-yard touchdown run put the Irish up 49-13 late in the third quarter, Kenny Minchey entered the game for the second straight week. The No. 2 QB led a touchdown drive which was capped by a 17-yard run by Aneyas Williams.