Notre Dame Takes Down No. 1 Miami 31-24 in Biggest Win of the Season!
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish delivered the biggest victory of their 2026 football season on Saturday night, November 7, defeating the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes 31-24 in front of an electric crowd at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.
This was much more than another win on the schedule. This was a statement game, a chance for Notre Dame to prove it belongs among the best teams in college football, and perhaps most importantly, an opportunity to strengthen its chances of making the College Football Playoff.
The Irish understood what was at stake, and they responded with one of their most impressive performances of the season.
Notre Dame jumped out to a commanding 24-3 lead before Miami mounted a second-half comeback. However, the Irish made the plays when they needed them most, coming up with a huge interception, an important fourth-quarter touchdown, and a game-saving defensive effort to secure the 31-24 victory.
With the win, Notre Dame improved to 8-1, while Miami suffered its first loss of the season.
For head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish, this was the kind of victory that can change the direction of a season.
CJ Carr Delivers a Career Performance Against Miami
Quarterback CJ Carr was outstanding against the Hurricanes and played a major role in Notre Dame’s victory.
Carr completed 29 of 40 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. His ability to move the football through the air kept Miami’s defense on its heels throughout the first half and gave Notre Dame the early advantage it needed.
Carr connected with Jordan Faison for a 27-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, giving the Irish a 10-0 lead.
He then found Micah Gilbert for an 18-yard touchdown just before halftime, extending Notre Dame’s advantage to 17-3.
The connection between Carr and Gilbert continued early in the third quarter when they connected for another touchdown, this time from 20 yards out.
That score pushed Notre Dame’s lead to 24-3 and put Miami in a difficult position.
Carr showed tremendous poise against the nation’s top-ranked team. He made accurate throws, distributed the football to multiple receivers, and avoided the costly mistakes that could have allowed Miami back into the game sooner.
This was one of the best performances of Carr’s young Notre Dame career.
Micah Gilbert Has a Huge Night
Wide receiver Micah Gilbert was another major difference-maker for the Fighting Irish.
Gilbert finished with nine receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his touchdown catches came from CJ Carr, and his ability to get open against Miami’s secondary gave Notre Dame a tremendous advantage.
His first touchdown, an 18-yard reception late in the second quarter, helped give the Irish some breathing room heading into halftime.
His second touchdown came early in the third quarter and extended the Notre Dame lead to 24-3.
Gilbert was a dependable target for Carr throughout the evening and delivered when the Irish needed big plays.
Performances like this are exactly what Notre Dame needs from its receiving corps as the season moves toward its most important games.
Jordan Faison Makes His Presence Felt
Jordan Faison also made a significant contribution to the victory.
Faison caught the 27-yard touchdown pass from Carr in the second quarter that gave Notre Dame a 10-0 advantage.
But his biggest contribution may have come on special teams.
Early in the third quarter, Faison returned a Miami punt 56 yards, giving Notre Dame excellent field position inside the Hurricanes’ 30-yard line.
Just a few plays later, Carr connected with Gilbert for another touchdown.
That punt return completely changed the field position and helped the Irish extend their lead to 24-3.
Faison’s ability to contribute as both a receiver and punt returner made him an important part of Saturday night’s victory.
Nolan James Jr. Delivers When Notre Dame Needs Him Most
Miami wasn’t going to go away quietly.
After Notre Dame built its 24-3 lead, the Hurricanes began finding success offensively and scored three touchdowns to make the game much closer.
With the Irish holding a 24-17 advantage early in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame needed an important scoring drive to stop Miami’s momentum.
Nolan James Jr. stepped up.
James made several important plays on the drive, including a 36-yard reception on fourth-and-2 that helped keep the possession alive.
He eventually finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, giving Notre Dame a 31-17 advantage with 12:55 remaining in the game.
James finished with 52 rushing yards and the important fourth-quarter touchdown.
His contributions were especially valuable because Miami had been building momentum and threatening to take control of the game.
That touchdown gave Notre Dame the cushion it needed to withstand Miami’s final comeback attempt.
Luke Talich Comes Up With a Huge Interception
The Notre Dame defense also deserves plenty of credit for this victory.
After Miami scored consecutive touchdowns to cut the Irish lead to 24-17, the Hurricanes appeared to have all the momentum.
However, safety Luke Talich came up with one of the biggest defensive plays of the night.
Talich intercepted Miami quarterback Darian Mensah late in the third quarter, stopping another potential scoring opportunity.
The Irish offense took advantage of the turnover, putting together the drive that ended with Nolan James Jr.’s touchdown.
Talich wasn’t finished making important plays.
With Miami threatening again in the fourth quarter, he broke up a fourth-down pass intended for Elija Lofton in the end zone area. The incompletion turned the football over to Notre Dame and prevented the Hurricanes from potentially tying the game.
His interception and late pass breakup were two enormous plays in a game where every possession mattered.
Notre Dame’s Defense Does Just Enough to Finish the Job
Although Miami managed to score 24 points, the Notre Dame defense deserves recognition for its performance against the nation’s top-ranked team.
The Irish held Miami to just three points in the first half and forced the Hurricanes to work for nearly every yard.
Notre Dame also finished the game with two sacks and an interception while keeping Miami from scoring on its final fourth-down opportunity.
The defense did have some problems in the second half, particularly when Miami began connecting on passes downfield. The Hurricanes scored three touchdowns after halftime, and Notre Dame will need to improve its ability to protect a lead moving forward.
However, the defense made the plays that mattered most.
On Miami’s final possession, Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore forced a fumble on a desperation play, and Jaiden Ausberry recovered the football to end the Hurricanes’ last chance.
It was an appropriate finish to a hard-fought defensive performance.
The Biggest Game of the Year for Notre Dame
There is no question that this was the biggest game of the 2026 season for Notre Dame.
The Irish entered Saturday knowing that a loss to Miami could seriously damage their College Football Playoff hopes.
There was also some unfinished business between these programs.
Notre Dame lost to Miami 27-24 in last season’s opener, a defeat that ultimately played a major role in keeping the Irish out of the College Football Playoff.
This time, Notre Dame had the opportunity to turn the tables against a Miami team that entered the game undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country.
And the Irish delivered.
Beating the top-ranked team in the nation is always an impressive accomplishment, but the timing of this victory makes it even more important.
Notre Dame entered the game ranked No. 11 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. A victory over the nation’s No. 1 team gives the selection committee a significant result to consider when evaluating the Irish.
The win should provide a major boost to Notre Dame’s playoff resume and put the Fighting Irish in a much stronger position as the regular season continues.
Of course, the job isn’t finished. Notre Dame still needs to take care of business in its remaining games, avoid another disappointing loss, and continue demonstrating that it belongs in the playoff conversation.
But Saturday night’s victory was exactly what the Irish needed.
Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame Have Something to Build On
Head coach Marcus Freeman deserves credit for preparing his team for such an important matchup.
Notre Dame came out aggressively, established control early, and built a 21-point lead against the nation’s top-ranked team.
There are certainly things to clean up, especially after allowing Miami to get back into the game in the second half. The Irish cannot afford to let future opponents erase large leads.
But there is also something to be said for finding a way to win a close game against an elite opponent.
Championship-caliber teams have to be able to handle adversity, and Notre Dame faced plenty of it during the second half.
The Irish didn’t panic when Miami started scoring. They responded with a crucial touchdown, made important defensive stops, and protected their lead until the final whistle.
That is the type of experience that can help a team during a postseason run.
Notre Dame Has Its Biggest Win of 2026. Now Keep It Going!
The 31-24 victory over Miami could prove to be a defining moment in Notre Dame’s 2026 football season.
CJ Carr delivered an outstanding performance, Micah Gilbert had two touchdown receptions, Jordan Faison provided a huge punt return, Nolan James Jr. scored the critical fourth-quarter touchdown, and Luke Talich came up with two enormous defensive plays.
It was a complete team effort when Notre Dame needed one most.
More importantly, the Irish defeated the No. 1 team in the country and gave their College Football Playoff hopes a major boost.
Notre Dame cannot afford to get too comfortable. There are still games to play, and the Irish need to maintain their focus and continue improving.
However, Saturday night belongs to the Fighting Irish.
The Miami Hurricanes came to South Bend undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation. They left with their first loss of the season.
Notre Dame proved it can compete with anybody in college football.
Now the question is whether the Irish can carry this momentum all the way to the College Football Playoff.
After a victory like this, Notre Dame fans have every reason to be excited about what comes next.
Go Irish!
Check out the game highlights:
Frequently Asked Questions About Notre Dame’s Win Over Miami
1. What was the final score of the Notre Dame vs. Miami game on November 7, 2026?
Notre Dame defeated Miami 31-24 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.
2. Who was Notre Dame’s starting quarterback against Miami?
CJ Carr started at quarterback for Notre Dame and completed 29 of 40 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
3. Which Notre Dame player scored two touchdowns against Miami?
Wide receiver Micah Gilbert caught two touchdown passes from CJ Carr. He finished with nine receptions for 98 yards.
4. Who scored Notre Dame’s other touchdowns?
Jordan Faison caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from CJ Carr, while Nolan James Jr. scored on a one-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
5. Who made the biggest defensive plays for Notre Dame?
Safety Luke Talich recorded an interception and broke up a critical fourth-down pass in the fourth quarter. Leonard Moore also forced a late fumble that Jaiden Ausberry recovered.
6. Why was the Miami game so important for Notre Dame?
Miami entered the game ranked No. 1 and undefeated. Notre Dame needed an impressive victory to strengthen its College Football Playoff resume, and beating the nation’s top-ranked team was a major accomplishment.
7. Did the win improve Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff chances?
Yes. The victory significantly strengthened Notre Dame’s playoff resume. The Irish entered the game ranked No. 11 in the initial CFP rankings, and defeating No. 1 Miami gives the selection committee an important result to consider.
8. What was Notre Dame’s record after beating Miami?
Notre Dame improved to 8-1 following its 31-24 victory over Miami.
9. Who is Notre Dame’s head football coach?
Marcus Freeman is the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.
10. Can Notre Dame make the College Football Playoff in 2026?
Absolutely. The victory over Miami puts Notre Dame in a much stronger position, but the Irish must continue winning and finish the regular season strong to secure their playoff opportunity.