Notre Dame defeated Miami 24-17 on Saturday night in South Bend, Indiana, handing the top-ranked Hurricanes their first loss of the season. The Fighting Irish, ranked 11th in the College Football Playoff committee rankings despite being fourth in the Associated Press poll, secured a crucial victory in what had become a must-win game for their playoff hopes.
Quarterback CJ Carr threw three touchdown passes for Notre Dame, including two to Micah Gilbert. Gilbert's 20-yard touchdown reception gave the Irish a 24-3 lead in the third quarter. Carr also connected with Jordan Faison on a 27-yard touchdown pass in which Faison made a back-shoulder catch and tapped his toes in bounds. Carr capped a two-minute drive before halftime with an 18-yard touchdown strike to Gilbert.
Miami struggled offensively without star receiver Malachi Toney, who was out with an ankle injury suffered in practice. The Hurricanes, who entered the game averaging nearly 48 points per game, managed only three points in the first half. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah threw touchdown passes to Cooper Barkate and Elija Lofton in the second half, with Lofton making an impressive toe-tapping catch in the end zone. However, the Hurricanes could not overcome the deficit.
Notre Dame's defense pressured Mensah throughout the game, with Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa recording a crucial third-down sack in the second half. Jordan Faison also returned a punt 55 yards to the Miami 30-yard line. The Irish controlled the game after building their 21-point lead, withstanding Miami's late comeback attempt to secure the victory.