Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore (15), had two interceptions in his return from injury. (Photo by Chad Ryan).
First and Fitzharris – a weekly look at Notre Dame Football with Connor Fitzharris
Another week down, and another week the Irish defense showed signs of dominance. Saturday afternoon in South Bend, Indiana, the Irish defense stole the spotlight, shutting down Boise State’s offense led by junior quarterback Maddux Madsen. Madsen, who guided the Broncos to the College Football Playoff last year, threw four interceptions against a relentless Notre Dame secondary. ND also notched a season high four sacks.
As my colleague Phil Houk has reminded Fighting Irish Preview readers over and over since Saturday, “In South Bend, DEFENSE is back in style”.
Leonard Moore returned from injury and made an immediate impact for Chris Ash’s defense, tallying six solo tackles and two interceptions. His presence at cornerback clearly changes the dynamic, as Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa noted: “It’s different when 15’s out there.” True freshman Tae Johnson also made waves, recording five tackles and a critical interception at the end of the first half to halt the Broncos’ momentum. Overall, the Irish held Boise State to just 100 rushing yards—averaging a mere 2.9 yards per carry—answering the call of fans who have pleaded for week-to-week improvement.
Notre Dame’s offensive backfield also continued its dominance. Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for 186 rushing yards and two touchdowns, with Price breaking multiple tackles on a highlight-reel run. CJ Carr praised the duo: “When you have the two best running backs in the country, it’s hard to be wrong in the run game.” Carr himself had another solid outing in his fifth start, throwing for 189 yards and two touchdowns while adding 25 yards on the ground. With Jaden Greathouse inactive, Malachi Fields, Jordan Faison, and Will Pauling stepped up—Faison hauling in six catches for 83 yards, and both Faison and Pauling catching touchdown passes from Carr.
Next up, the Irish welcome NC State to South Bend this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The last time these teams met—in 2023 in Raleigh—Notre Dame rolled to a 45-24 victory. NC State enters at 4-2 on the season, including a win over #19 Virginia, and comes off a dominant 56-10 victory against FCS opponent Campbell. Sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey has thrown for 1,660 yards and 13 touchdowns, but he and the Wolfpack haven’t faced a defense like Notre Dame’s this year. The Irish are on a roll, looking like a complete, dominant team across all three phases. With “defense back in style in South Bend,” NC State can expect a tough task and a long day of reminders that the Irish will defend their house.