No. 11 Notre Dame avenged last season's damaging loss by running out to a 21-point lead and holding on to beat No. 1 Miami 31-24. CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Irish to a crucial victory that keeps their national championship hopes alive. Micah Gilbert caught two scoring passes, while Jordan Faison added the other. Notre Dame improved to 8-1, knowing another loss to Miami could jeopardize their playoff chances.
Miami, missing injured Heisman hopeful Malachi Toney, started slowly on offense. Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes, twice pulling the Hurricanes within a touchdown after trailing 24-3 early in the third quarter. Cooper Barkate and Elija Lofton caught scoring grabs. Lofton nearly tied the game with a fourth-down grab in the end zone with 3:36 remaining, but Luke Talich knocked the ball away, ruling the catch incomplete. Notre Dame took over on downs and ran out the clock.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman expressed happiness for the university and players, calling it a special moment for Notre Dame Nation. Miami coach Mario Cristobal was "beyond upset" about the non-call, urging his team to play better. With Miami's loss, only two unbeaten teams remain in the Football Bowl Subdivision: Utah and UCLA.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing