No. 3 Notre Dame returns to South Bend on Saturday for its home opener, looking to continue what has already been an impressive start to the 2026 season.
The Fighting Irish will host Rice at Notre Dame Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET. Notre Dame enters the matchup 1-0 after defeating Wisconsin 41-13 in a convincing opening-week performance.
Carr Looks To Continue Strong Start
Quarterback CJ Carr played an important role in Notre Dame’s opening victory, throwing for 239 yards and two touchdowns against Wisconsin.
After getting his first game of the season under his belt, Carr will now have an opportunity to build even more confidence against a Rice defense that will be facing a significant step up in competition.
Notre Dame will also look to establish its running game. The Irish are replacing significant production in the backfield, making the early weeks of the season important for finding their new identity on the ground.
Rice Brings A Unique Challenge
Rice should not be overlooked.
The Owls opened their season with a 31-3 victory over Houston Christian, rushing for an impressive 465 yards. Quarterback Jacurri Brown accounted for 98 rushing yards, while Tyvonn Byars added 104 yards on the ground.
Rice’s run-heavy option offense could force Notre Dame’s defense to remain disciplined throughout the afternoon.
However, Notre Dame’s defense looked strong against Wisconsin. The Irish limited the Badgers’ rushing attack and have eight primary starters returning from last year’s unit.
Notre Dame Can’t Afford A Slow Start
While Notre Dame is a massive favorite, this game carries some additional attention because of the Irish’s recent struggles in Week 2 home openers.
Notre Dame lost to Texas A&M in last year’s Week 2 home opener and suffered shocking Week 2 home losses to Northern Illinois in 2024 and Marshall in 2022. Rice will be hoping to pull off another major upset in South Bend.
For Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish, the goal is simple: take care of business.
A strong performance against Rice would move Notre Dame to 2-0 and give the Irish even more momentum heading into the tougher portion of their schedule.
Notre Dame has the talent advantage on both sides of the football, and if the Irish avoid turnovers and defend Rice’s option attack with discipline, they should have little trouble protecting home field.
