- CJ Carr erupted for 354 yards and 4 TDs, including nearly 300 in the first half, in his breakout performance.
- Jeremiyah Love scored four first-half touchdowns — two rushing, two receiving — becoming the first Irish player to do it since 1996.
- Notre Dame’s offense piled up 641 total yards and 42 first-half points, burying Arkansas by halftime.
- After weeks of struggles, the Irish defense clamped down, holding the Razorbacks to 13 points and just 276 yards.
Marcus Freeman’s team badly needed a spark, and in Fayetteville they delivered a full-on firestorm. In the program’s first-ever meeting with Arkansas, Notre Dame put together its most complete performance of the young season, flattening the Razorbacks 56–13 in front of 75,111 fans. The offense roared to life, the defense found its footing, and for once, the Irish made it look easy.
Here’s how the numbers tell the story of Notre Dame’s second win of 2025.
Key Stats
- 641 – Total yards of offense. It was the Irish’s biggest output since 2017, when Wake Forest gave up 710. That is now back to back weeks scoring 56 points and three straight with 40+ points.
- 42 – First-half points, tied for the third-most in program history. By the time the Razorbacks were done singing their fight song at halftime, the Irish had already broken their will.
- 294 – CJ Carr’s first-half passing yards, the third-highest in school history and the most since Jimmy Clausen’s Christmas Eve Hawaii Bowl explosion in 2008.
- 4 – First-half touchdown passes for Carr is tied for second most in program history behind Ian Book’s five against Bowling Green in 2019.
- 13 – Points allowed by the defense, a welcome change after the avalanche of big plays given up the last two weeks. Arkansas finished with just 276 yards.
- 75,111 – Razorback fans who showed up to witness history. Only problem for them? It was Notre Dame making it.
Milestones, Firsts, and Career Highs
- Jeremiyah Love rewrote the record book with four first-half touchdowns — two on the ground, two through the air. He became the first Irish player since 1996 to find the end zone four times in one half, reminding everyone why he was RB1 from day one.
- Rare versatility: Love’s rushing and receiving scores in the first quarter marked the first time since Kyren Williams at North Carolina in 2020 that an Irish back pulled off that double in the opening period. Love also became the first Notre Dame player to ever score two rushing and receiving touchdowns in the same game.
- Two-back thunder: Love and Jadarian Price both ran and caught touchdowns in the same game. The pair has scored in the same contest nine times now, but this was one of their most dynamic combo performances yet.
- Carr joins elite company: His 354 passing yards were the most by an ND quarterback since Jack Coan torched Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. It was also the program’s first 300-yard game since Sam Hartman in 2023.
- First-time moments: Will Pauling scored his first touchdown with Notre Dame in the second quarter, while freshman Matt Jeffrey recorded his first career reception. Small milestones, but big confidence builders.
- The streak continues: Malachi Fields has now caught a pass in 31 straight games, extending one of the longest active streaks in the country.
- Ironman note: Love made his 21st straight start at running back, the fifth-longest such streak in Notre Dame history.
- Veteran milestone: Jordan Botelho suited up for the 54th time, putting him in the program’s top dozen for career appearances.
Positive Trends
- Explosiveness is back: The offense showed the vertical shots and backfield creativity fans were desperate to see just as they did against Purdue. Carr spread the ball to nine different receivers, and Denbrock’s play calling kept Arkansas guessing all day.
- Statement start: For the first time this season, Notre Dame didn’t wait until after halftime to find its stride. The Irish put up 420 first-half yards, their best opening half since Stanford in 2018, and buried the Razorbacks before the band played.
- Complementary football: The defense, much-maligned over the past month, responded with physicality and discipline. Limiting Arkansas to 13 points might not erase earlier struggles, but it’s a clear step forward.
Negative Trends
- Special teams miscues: A missed field goal and some shaky punt coverage were about the only blemishes on an otherwise dominant afternoon. Against better teams, those mistakes could prove costly.
- Second-half slowdown: With the game out of reach, the Irish managed just two touchdowns after the break. It didn’t matter here, but finishing with urgency will be important down the stretch.
This wasn’t just a win. It was the first glimpse of what this team can be when everything clicks — an offense that overwhelms, a defense that stiffens, and a result that makes the College Football Playoff picture look a little less far-fetched than it did two weeks ago.
