The No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish continued their impressive start to the 2026 season Saturday, completely overwhelming Rice in a 52-0 shutout victory at Notre Dame Stadium.
After opening the season with a convincing 41-13 victory over Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, Notre Dame showed once again why it entered the season with College Football Playoff expectations.
Carr Leads The Offense
Quarterback CJ Carr was outstanding, completing 16 of 20 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Carr helped Notre Dame jump on Rice immediately. The Irish scored 21 points in the opening quarter and never allowed the Owls to find any rhythm.
Jordan Faison was one of Carr’s biggest weapons, catching four passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Jerome Bettis Jr. also provided a big-play threat, finishing with 61 receiving yards.
Notre Dame continued pouring it on in the second quarter, adding another 21 points to take a 42-0 lead into halftime.
Defense Completely Shuts Down Rice
While the offense received plenty of attention, Notre Dame’s defense was just as impressive.
Rice managed only 128 total yards and turned the ball over four times. The Owls repeatedly struggled to move the football, while Notre Dame’s defense consistently gave its offense excellent field position.
The Irish finished with 478 total yards and never committed a turnover.
Notre Dame added 10 more points in the third quarter before coasting through the final period with the game already decided.
Another Statement From Notre Dame
The Irish are now 2-0 and have outscored their first two opponents by a combined 93-13.
With a dominant win at Lambeau Field followed by a 52-point shutout at home, Notre Dame is quickly establishing itself as one of the nation’s most dangerous teams.
The Irish will now turn their attention toward Michigan State, with another opportunity to strengthen their College Football Playoff résumé.
