Notre Dame Overcomes Miami in 31-24 Victory to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
A disputed fourth-down call in the closing minutes allowed the Irish to hold off a comeback by the top-ranked Hurricanes, ending Miami's unbeaten season.
By Matthew Qureshi ·
The air in South Bend was thin and cold, dropping from 40 degrees at kickoff to the mid-30s by the final quarter.
No. 4 Notre Dame defeated No. 1 Miami 31-24 on Saturday night, avenging a 27-24 loss in the previous season that had kept the Irish out of the College Football Playoff.
CJ Carr completed passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns, leading a team that never trailed. Micah Gilbert caught two of those scoring throws, while Jordan Faison secured the third. Nolan James Jr. added a rushing touchdown to help build a 21-point margin in the third quarter.
Miami opened the game with a 3-17 deficit by halftime, a stark contrast to their first-half scoring average of 27 points in the previous eight games. The Hurricanes played their first game without injured wide receiver Malachi Toney, a Heisman Trophy contender.
Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes for Miami, pulling the visitors within a score after falling behind 24-3. Cooper Barkate caught two of those passes, and Elija Lofton caught the third.
With 3:36 remaining, Lofton attempted a fourth-down catch in the end zone that would have narrowed the gap to one point. He appeared to secure the ball and plant his feet, but Notre Dame defensive back Luke Talich knocked the ball away.
Officials ruled the catch incomplete. Talich, who also intercepted a pass in the third quarter, was involved in a disputed play that sealed the victory. Notre Dame took possession on downs, managed the clock down to one minute, and defended the lead.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal described the loss as beyond upsetting. He stated that the team must play better and coach better rather than leaving outcomes in the hands of officials. Darian Mensah said he was proud of the team's resilience, though he acknowledged the effort was not enough to secure a win.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman called the moment special but urged his players to move on immediately to prepare for the next challenge. The Irish improved to 10-17-1 against No. 1 teams, marking their first such win in six years.
The result leaves only two unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision: Utah and UCLA. This is the first time since 2003 that only two teams have survived the first nine games without a loss. Miami hosts Duke next Saturday, while Notre Dame hosts Boston College.
