Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr delivered the best game of his career, leading the No. 11 Irish to a 31-24 upset over top-ranked Miami and vaulting himself into the Heisman Trophy lead.
Carr's Historic Performance
Carr completed 29 of 40 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions and no sacks. His 29 completions set a career high, and the 319 yards and three touchdowns were his most against a ranked opponent. He became only the fifth quarterback in the last 30 years to surpass 300 passing yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in a win over the No. 1 team, joining Will Howard (2024), Bryce Young (2021), Trevor Lawrence (2018), and Deshaun Watson (2016).
Heisman Race Shifts Dramatically
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah entered the game as the Heisman favorite, but Las Vegas oddsmakers flipped the odds during Carr's masterful two-minute drill before halftime. Carr completed 6 of 7 passes for 79 yards on that drive, capped by an 18-yard touchdown to Micah Gilbert. The Irish built a 24-3 lead early in the third quarter before Miami rallied with two quick touchdowns.
Clutch Fourth-Down Conversion Seals Win
On fourth-and-2 early in the fourth quarter, Carr recognized man coverage and checked out of the called play, finding Nolan James Jr. on a wheel route for a 36-yard gain to the Miami 7-yard line. James scored on the next series to make it 31-17. Miami drove to the Notre Dame 18 in the final minutes, but safety Luke Talich broke up a fourth-down pass to preserve the victory.
Freeman Calls It a Program-Defining Win
"That's who CJ Carr is, man," Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. "He prepares. I said this three years ago: the dude prepared like he was a starter." Freeman called it as good a win as he's been part of since taking over the program. The victory marked Notre Dame's first over a No. 1 team since a double-overtime win over Clemson exactly six years ago.
Playoff Implications and Upcoming Schedule
According to CBS Sports Forecasting, Notre Dame now has a 92.7% chance of making the College Football Playoff. The Irish face Boston College, SMU, and Syracuse to close the regular season. SMU may be ranked when they visit South Bend.
