By the Numbers: Irish Overpower No. 22 Pitt in Statement Road Win

On a gray November afternoon on the banks of the Allegheny, Notre Dame delivered one of its most complete road performances of the Marcus Freeman era. The Irish controlled both lines of scrimmage, dominated possession, forced critical mistakes, and rode a monster outing from Jeremiyah Love and a sharp, resilient afternoon from C.J. Carr. Pitt entered 7–2 with one of the ACC’s best defenses; they left with their worst loss of the season, unable to handle Notre Dame’s balance, physicality, and defensive pressure.

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

Key Stats

37–15 – Final score.
Notre Dame earned its second straight double-digit win and its third road victory over a ranked opponent this season.

0 – Pitt’s third-down conversions.
The Panthers went 0-for-13 on third down, the first time a Notre Dame opponent has failed to convert a single third down since 2012.

175 – Rushing yards for the Irish.
Behind Jeremiyah Love’s 147 yards and Jadarian Price’s 71 all-purpose yards, Notre Dame averaged 4.9 yards per carry and controlled the game on the ground.

212 – Passing yards from C.J. Carr.
Despite two interceptions, Carr completed 21-of-32 passes, threw two touchdowns, and added a rushing score. He finished with four total conversions on key third- and fourth-down plays.

10 – Notre Dame quarterback hurries.
The Irish posted ten hurries — their most in a game since 2018 — along with four sacks and seven tackles for loss.

35:17 – Time of possession.
Notre Dame dominated ball control, holding the football more than ten minutes longer than Pitt.

49 – Tae Johnson’s pick-six.
Johnson’s 49-yard interception return gave Notre Dame a 14–0 first-quarter lead and marked his team-leading fourth interception of the season.

56 – Jeremiyah Love’s touchdown run.
Love ripped off a 56-yard score on Notre Dame’s first offensive snap of the day, setting the tone for a wire-to-wire victory.

Milestones, Firsts, and Career Highs

Jeremiyah Love joins elite company.
Love eclipsed 1,000 yards for the season, becoming just the sixth Irish player with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. He also moved into a tie for fourth place in career rushing touchdowns (32) and total touchdowns (38).

Tenth career 100-yard game for Love.
His 147-yard performance gave him his 10th career 100-yard game, tying Julius Jones for seventh in program history.

Malachi Fields continues his streak — and scores twice.
Fields extended his reception streak to 37 games and posted season highs in catches (7) and yards (99). His two touchdowns were his most in an Irish uniform.

Tae Johnson’s first pick-six.
The sophomore safety added his fourth interception of the season, taking it back 49 yards for his first career touchdown.

Jordan Botelho moves up the charts.
Botelho appeared in his 60th career game, placing him seventh on Notre Dame’s all-time list.

Eli Raridon produces again.
Raridon recorded six catches for 67 yards — his second game this season with five or more first-half receptions, something no tight end had done since Chase Claypool in 2019.

Positive Trends

Road dominance against ranked teams.
Freeman earned his 16th win over a ranked opponent and improved to 7–3 when both ND and the opponent are ranked.

Red-zone defense bends but doesn’t break.
Pitt reached the Irish 10-yard line three times in the second half and came away with zero offensive touchdowns.

Offensive balance.
Notre Dame ran for 175 yards and passed for 212, converting 3-of-5 fourth downs and consistently sustaining drives.

Explosive ground game.
Love delivered gains of 56, 22, and 15 yards; Price added a 43-yard kickoff return to flip momentum to start the second half.

Special teams steadiness.
Erik Schmidt went 5-for-5 on PATs and recorded four touchbacks on six kickoffs, while Jordan Faison added 36 punt return yards.

Negative Trends

Turnover issues.
Carr threw two interceptions — one of which was returned for a touchdown — keeping Pitt momentarily alive in the third quarter.

Penalties stack up.
Notre Dame was flagged eight times for 84 yards, including two roughing-the-passer penalties on Pitt’s final drive. ACC referees struck again, though, with a terrible facemask penalty that wiped another sack just like two weeks ago at Boston College. One of the two roughing-the-passer penalties on that last drive was also highly questionable.

Red-zone inefficiency.
The Irish scored on two of three red-zone trips, but an eight-minute, 14-play second-quarter drive ended in a turnover on downs at the 1-yard line. The red zone continues to be a massive problem for Notre Dame and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.

Team Notes

• Attendance: 68,400 — a sellout at Acrisure Stadium.
• Notre Dame improved to 52-21-1 all-time against Pitt and 30-11-1 on the road in the series.
• Freeman is now 15-2 vs. ACC opponents and 7-2 in true ACC road games.
• The Irish are now 8-3 in current NFL stadiums under Freeman.
• The series is Notre Dame’s fifth-most played all-time (74 meetings).
• Notre Dame’s defense recorded its most QB hurries in seven years.

Final Word

Notre Dame left little doubt in Pittsburgh. The Irish were more physical, more explosive, and more disciplined at nearly every position group, turning a ranked road game in front of College Gameday into a comfortable, wire-to-wire win. Love was electric, Fields delivered his most complete outing of the season, and the defense smothered Pitt’s offense from the opening drive.