Notre Dame Stuns No. 1 Miami 31-24 to Keep Its Playoff Hopes Alive

Notre Dame beat No. 1 Miami 31-24 on Saturday night in one of the biggest college football games of the season, keeping its national championship hopes alive and handing the Hurricanes their first defeat. The Fighting Irish built a 21-point lead, survived a furious Miami comeback, and held on in the final minutes when a last-gasp Miami touchdown was ruled incomplete after a review.

The win, in front of a roaring crowd at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, was a statement. Notre Dame came into the game ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll and No. 11 in the first College Football Playoff rankings. A second loss — especially to the team that ended its season a year ago — could have ended its title hopes. Instead, the Irish delivered their best performance of the year and shook up the race for the playoff.

How the game unfolded

Notre Dame took control early and never gave up the lead. Kicker Spencer Porath opened the scoring with a 44-yard field goal in the first quarter, and the Irish then scored three touchdowns to build a commanding advantage.

Quarterback CJ Carr threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Faison early in the second quarter to make it 10-0. He then found wide receiver Micah Gilbert for an 18-yard score just before half-time, sending Notre Dame into the break 17-3 ahead.

The lead grew to 24-3 early in the third quarter when Carr hit Gilbert again, this time from 20 yards out. At that point, the game looked like it might become a rout.

But Miami, the top-ranked team in the country, refused to go away. Quarterback Darian Mensah led the Hurricanes back into the game, throwing touchdown passes to bring Miami within a score. The Hurricanes outscored Notre Dame 21-14 in the second half, and with time running out, they were driving for a tying touchdown.

Notre Dame answered the comeback with one more big play of its own. Facing fourth-and-two early in the fourth quarter, Carr connected with running back Nolan James Jr. on the left side. James raced 36 yards to the Miami 7-yard line, then bulled into the end zone to finish the drive and restore a two-score lead.

Miami scored again when Mensah found Cooper Barkate for a one-yard touchdown with 9:57 left, cutting the gap to 31-24 and setting up a tense finish.

The catch that wasn’t

The most dramatic moment of the night came with 3:36 left on the clock. Miami had the ball and faced fourth down. Mensah threw into the end zone for tight end Elija Lofton, who appeared to come down with the ball for a touchdown that would have made the score 31-30.

But Notre Dame safety Luke Talich knocked the ball loose as Lofton went to the ground, and the officials ruled the pass incomplete. The call was checked on review and stood. Notre Dame took over on downs, ran the clock down to about a minute, and held on for the win.

Talich was one of the heroes of the night. He also intercepted a pass in the third quarter, at a moment when Miami was building momentum. His two plays — the interception and the broken-up touchdown — may have saved Notre Dame’s season.

The near-miss carried an echo of history. Had Lofton scored, the score would have been 31-30 — the exact score of the famous 1988 “Catholics vs. Convicts” game, when fourth-ranked Notre Dame beat top-ranked Miami 31-30. That 1988 win remains one of the most famous in the history of the rivalry. On Saturday, the Irish made sure the sequel ended the same way.

CJ Carr’s breakout night

The star of the game was Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. The junior from Saline, Michigan, threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, completing 29 of 40 passes, in what was described as his best game of the season.

Carr had a point to prove. His Notre Dame career began with losses to Miami and Texas A&M that haunted the Irish and knocked them out of playoff selection last season. On Saturday, he faced the same Miami team and produced the performance his team needed.

His father, former Michigan quarterback Jason Carr, had not held back when judging his son’s first performance against Miami, according to the Associated Press. On Saturday, Miami saw a much-improved version of the younger Carr.

His favourite target was Micah Gilbert, who caught nine passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Faison added a touchdown catch, and Nolan James Jr. scored on the ground. For Miami, Darian Mensah threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns with one interception on 24-of-43 passing. Cooper Barkate caught 10 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, while Elija Lofton had seven catches for 113 yards and a score.

Miami played without its star receiver Malachi Toney, a Heisman Trophy hopeful who was out with an ankle injury. His absence was felt early: the Hurricanes, who had averaged 27 first-half points in their first eight games, managed only three points before half-time.

There was one more telling moment in the first half. Miami had first-and-goal from the Notre Dame 1-yard line in the second quarter, but three runs — one by Mark Fletcher and two keepers by Mensah — went nowhere, and the Hurricanes settled for a field goal. In a seven-point game, those four missing points mattered.

Notre Dame also pulled out all the stops for the occasion. Former stars including Joe Montana, Jerome Bettis, Tony Rice, Chris Zorich, Ricky Watters and Ron Powlus were honoured on the field before the game, adding to the sense that this was a night the programme had circled.

What the win means for the playoff

The result changes the shape of the College Football Playoff race. Notre Dame is now 8-1, and its only defeat came early in the season. A loss to Miami would almost certainly have ended its hopes of reaching the 12-team playoff. Instead, the Irish now have a win over the No. 1 team to put in front of the selection committee when the second set of rankings is released on Tuesday night.

Miami, also now 8-1, falls from the top spot but is far from finished. The Hurricanes were No. 1 in the first playoff rankings, and a single close road defeat to a top-five team is unlikely to drop them far. They still control their own path: win their remaining games, including their conference championship, and they will be in the playoff.

The wider picture is that only two unbeaten teams remain in the top division of college football — Utah and UCLA, both 9-0 after wins on Saturday. With the No. 1 team beaten, the race for the top seeds is now wide open, and the committee’s rankings on Tuesday will be closely watched.

The history books also underline how rare this win was. Notre Dame improved to 10-17-1 all-time against No. 1 teams, earning its first win over a top-ranked opponent in exactly six years. Miami fell to 44-7 when playing as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25, including an 0-2 record against Notre Dame.

Around the Top 25: a wild Saturday

Notre Dame-Miami was the headline act, but it was a dramatic day across college football, with several ranked teams falling and the playoff picture shifting.

No. 2 Georgia 42, No. 10 Ole Miss 7. Gunner Stockton threw for four touchdowns and ran for another as Georgia cruised in Oxford, Mississippi, avenging last season’s Sugar Bowl loss to Ole Miss. Stockton completed 9 of 15 passes for 186 yards, Talyn Taylor caught four passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns, and Nate Frazier rushed for 107 yards. Georgia outgained Ole Miss 481-252 and ended the Rebels’ 16-game home winning streak.

No. 3 Utah 28, No. 9 BYU 20. Devon Dampier threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 89 yards and two more scores as Utah stayed unbeaten in the rivalry game in Salt Lake City. BYU fought back with 20 straight points to lead by six at half-time, but Utah regained the lead late in the third quarter. BYU’s final chance ended when Bear Bachmeier’s Hail Mary pass was intercepted in the end zone with two seconds left. Bachmeier finished with four interceptions.

No. 5 Alabama 31, No. 14 LSU 13. Keelon Russell passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns as Alabama won in Baton Rouge despite being outgained 457-285 in total yards. LSU had two drives stopped inside Alabama’s 10-yard line and gave up the final 21 points of the game.

No. 13 Tennessee 34, No. 6 Kentucky 6. DeSean Bishop rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee crushed Kentucky in Knoxville, ending the Wildcats’ six-game winning streak. Kentucky never reached the end zone and recorded its lowest points total of the season.

No. 7 Texas 34, No. 18 Missouri 20. Arch Manning threw three touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score to Raleek Brown in the fourth quarter, as Texas won in Columbia, Missouri. Brown scored twice in the final period and rushed for 85 yards.

No. 8 UCLA 34, Minnesota 20. Ty Dieffenbach passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns as UCLA moved to 9-0, its first nine-game winning start since 1998. The Bruins surged in the second half to pull away from Minnesota in Minneapolis.

No. 23 Oregon 41, No. 12 Ohio State 28. Dylan Raiola threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns as Oregon scored 38 unanswered points to come back from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit in Columbus, Ohio. Freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, making only his second career start for the injured Julian Sayin, threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns in defeat, while Heisman Trophy candidate Jeremiah Smith caught seven passes for 133 yards and a score.

No. 15 Texas Tech 53, West Virginia 48. Thomas Castellanos threw for a career-high five touchdowns and 362 yards, and added 102 rushing yards, as Texas Tech outlasted West Virginia in a shootout in Lubbock. The Red Raiders finished with 638 total yards. West Virginia’s last chance ended when quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. was sacked in the end zone for a safety with 1:24 left.

No. 16 Wake Forest 77, Merrimack 0. Backup quarterback Steele Pizzella made his first career start a historic one, totalling 495 passing and rushing yards — 432 passing yards and three touchdowns in one half — as Wake Forest routed Merrimack in Winston-Salem.

No. 17 Houston 31, Cincinnati 24. Re’Shaun Sanford II rushed for 126 yards, including a 51-yard go-ahead touchdown with 5:10 left, as Houston held off Cincinnati.

No. 19 Iowa 24, Northwestern 10. Hank Brown passed and ran for a touchdown each, and Braeden Jackson returned a kickoff for a score, as Iowa won in Evanston.

No. 21 South Carolina 21, Texas A&M 9. LaNorris Sellers shook off an ankle injury to pass for 251 yards and a touchdown and run 41 yards for an insurance score with 1:19 left, as South Carolina beat Texas A&M in Columbia.

Oklahoma 23, No. 24 Florida 7. John Mateer threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns as Oklahoma won in Gainesville in its first game under interim offensive coordinator Jason Witten.

No. 25 Boise State 64, Colorado State 38. Dylan Riley gained 300 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns as Boise State won its eighth straight game. Riley rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns, caught two passes for 88 yards and a score, and returned a kick for 20 yards.

What happens next

For Notre Dame, the job is not finished. The Irish host Boston College next Saturday, and every remaining game now matters for the playoff committee. A team that has just beaten the No. 1 side cannot afford a slip against an unranked opponent.

Miami hosts Duke next Saturday. The Hurricanes will want a convincing win to steady their ranking, and they will be watching the committee’s new rankings on Tuesday night to see how far they fall.

The biggest question now is who takes the No. 1 spot. With Miami beaten, Georgia — which thrashed Ole Miss — and unbeaten Utah and UCLA are all in the conversation. The committee’s answer on Tuesday will set the tone for the final weeks of the regular season.

For Notre Dame, though, Saturday night was about more than rankings. A year after Miami ended its season, the Irish beat the Hurricanes on their own field, in front of their former greats, with a quarterback who had waited a year for revenge. As head coach Marcus Freeman acknowledged afterwards, even for a programme as storied as Notre Dame, beating Miami carried enormous significance. On this evidence, the Irish are not just back in the playoff race — they are a team nobody will want to face in it.

Frequently asked questions

What was the score in Notre Dame vs Miami?

Notre Dame beat No. 1 Miami 31-24 on Saturday, 7 November 2026, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

Who was the star player for Notre Dame?

Quarterback CJ Carr, who threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-40 passing. Wide receiver Micah Gilbert caught nine passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns, and safety Luke Talich made a third-quarter interception and broke up a potential game-tying touchdown in the final minutes.

Why did the late Miami touchdown not count?

On fourth down with 3:36 left, Elija Lofton appeared to catch a touchdown pass in the end zone, but Notre Dame’s Luke Talich knocked the ball loose and the officials ruled the pass incomplete. The call was upheld on review, and Notre Dame took over on downs.

How many unbeaten teams are left in college football?

Two: Utah and UCLA, both 9-0 after their wins on Saturday, 7 November 2026.

What are Notre Dame and Miami’s records now?

Both teams are 8-1. Notre Dame was ranked No. 4 in the AP poll and No. 11 in the first College Football Playoff rankings; Miami was No. 1 in the playoff rankings.

Who do Notre Dame and Miami play next?

Miami hosts Duke next Saturday, and Notre Dame hosts Boston College next Saturday. The next College Football Playoff rankings are released on Tuesday night.

Sources

• Associated Press via TSN: No. 4 Notre Dame takes big lead, then holds off No. 1 Miami in a classic — https://www.tsn.ca/ncaa/article/no-4-notre-dame-takes-big-lead-then-holds-off-no-1-miami-in-a-classic/
• Reuters (Field Level Media): Top 25 football roundup: CJ Carr stars as No. 11 Irish top No. 1 Miami — https://www.reuters.com/sports/top-25-football-roundup-cj-carr-stars-no-11-irish-top-no-1-miami–flm-2026-11-08/
• Associated Press via La Nación: No. 4 Notre Dame takes big lead, then holds off No. 1 Miami 31-24 in a classic — https://www.lanacion.com.ar/usa/no-4-notre-dame-takes-big-lead-then-holds-off-no-1-miami-31-24-in-a-classic-nid08112026/

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.