By the Numbers: Balanced but Imperfect, Notre Dame Cruises Past NC State

Notre Dame dominated NC State in nearly every phase Saturday afternoon, piling up 485 yards of offense and holding the Wolfpack to just 233. But for all the statistical balance, the Irish still left plenty on the field. Three red-zone trips came up empty, a turnover halted another drive, and what could’ve been a blowout early turned into a slow burn that only erupted after halftime. Still, the 36–7 victory was a clear sign of progress — one built on an efficient quarterback, an emerging tight end, and a defense that continues to make timely plays.

Here’s how the numbers tell the story of Notre Dame’s fourth win of the 2025 season.

Key Stats

485 – Total yards of offense.
Notre Dame’s most balanced offensive performance of the season featured 342 yards through the air and 143 on the ground.

342 – Passing yards from CJ Carr.
Carr finished 19-of-32 with two touchdowns and one interception, marking his second 300-yard game of the season. He’s the first Notre Dame quarterback with multiple 300-yard performances in a single season since Jack Coan in 2021.

252 – Receiving yards from Eli Raridon and Will Pauling combined.
Raridon (7 receptions, 109 yards) and Pauling (4 for 105 and a touchdown) became the first Irish duo to each top 100 yards in the same game since the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State on January 1, 2022.

162 – Combined rushing yards from Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.
Love ran 18 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns, while Price added 68 yards on 15 carries. Both averaged over 4.4 yards per attempt, helping Notre Dame control the line of scrimmage.

5-of-8 – Red-zone scoring chances.
Notre Dame scored on just five of its eight trips inside the NC State 20, settling for two field goals and coming away empty on three drives.

3 – Interceptions by the Irish defense.
Adon Shuler, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, and sophomore Karson Hobbs each picked off passes as Notre Dame forced four total turnovers, including a safety in the fourth quarter.

9–0 – Freeman’s home record against ACC teams.
The Irish improved to 13–2 overall against ACC opponents under Marcus Freeman and remain unbeaten at home versus the conference.

Milestones, Firsts, and Career Highs

Jeremiyah Love reaches 2,000 rushing yards.
With a 24-yard run in the third quarter, Love became the second-fastest Notre Dame back in the modern era — and fourth-fastest overall — to eclipse 2,000 career rushing yards (329 carries).

Love ties Kyren Williams for ninth in touchdowns.
Love’s two-yard score in the first quarter was his 31st career touchdown, tying him with Kyren Williams for ninth-most in school history.

Eli Raridon’s breakout.
Raridon set new career highs with seven receptions and 109 yards. He became the first Irish tight end to post a 100-yard receiving game since Mitchell Evans did so against Duke on September 30, 2023.

Will Pauling joins the century club.
Pauling’s 105-yard day marked his first 100-yard game in an Irish uniform and his second overall, including one at Wisconsin in 2024. His touchdown grab made it three straight games with a score.

Carr enters rare company.
Carr’s 1,622 passing yards through six games are the most by an Irish quarterback since Everett Golson in 2014.

First-time moments.
KK Smith scored his first career touchdown on an 18-yard grab in the third quarter. Safety Jalen Stroman registered his first career sack, and freshman cornerback Karson Hobbs notched his first career interception.

Fields extends streak.
Malachi Fields caught a pass in his 33rd consecutive game, one of the longest active streaks in FBS.

Botelho keeps climbing.
Jordan Botelho appeared in his 56th career game, tied for eighth in Notre Dame history.

Positive Trends

Offensive balance returns.
For the first time this season, Notre Dame hit over 300 passing yards and 140 rushing yards in the same game. Carr completed passes to six different receivers, spreading the field and maintaining rhythm for most of the afternoon.

Tight end resurgence.
Raridon’s performance gave the Irish passing attack a dynamic over-the-middle threat it had lacked since Evans’ injury a season ago.

Defensive opportunism.
Notre Dame’s defense produced three interceptions and four sacks while holding NC State to 1.8 yards per rush. The unit also forced a safety, marking its first since the 2023 Sun Bowl against Oregon State.

Clean special teams execution.
Noah Burnette drilled field goals from 48 and 34 yards, and Erik Schmidt produced four touchbacks on six kickoffs.

Negative Trends

Red-zone inefficiency.
Despite 485 yards of offense, the Irish managed just 36 points on eight red-zone chances. Turnovers and stalled drives inside the 10 prevented the game from being out of reach earlier.

Early inconsistency.
Notre Dame outgained NC State 241–146 in the first half but led only 10–7 at the break. Slow-developing drives and a first-half interception kept the Wolfpack within striking distance.

Penalties and discipline.
The Irish were flagged six times for 55 yards, including multiple false starts that disrupted early momentum.

Team Notes

• Attendance: 77,622 — the 17th consecutive sellout and 22nd in the last 24 home games under Marcus Freeman.
• ACC dominance: Notre Dame improved to 9–0 at home against ACC opponents during Freeman’s tenure.
• Peacock perfection: The Irish are now 5–0 all-time in games broadcast exclusively on Peacock.
• Historic pace for Love: His 329 carries to reach 2,000 yards rank fourth-fastest in school history.
• Home success: Notre Dame improved its all-time record at Notre Dame Stadium to 531–133–13.

Final Word

Notre Dame’s 36–7 win over NC State showed a team capable of lighting up the scoreboard while still far from its peak. The balance was there — 300-plus passing, a steady run game, and three takeaways on defense — but so were the reminders of where the polish is still missing. If the Irish can clean up their red-zone execution and avoid drive-killing mistakes, this offense has the look of one ready to hit another gear in the second half of the season.