The Fighting Irish score 28 unanswered and hold Miami (OH) entirely out of the end zone.
Last time cleats collided with the turf at the historic Notre Dame Stadium, the upset heard around the world transpired. Two Saturdays ago, Northern Illinois set off a week-long celebration for the Mid-American Conference as the Huskies stormed into the environment and knocked off a then-No. 5 Notre Dame team, 16-14, by blocking a field goal at the buzzer.
After losing its first matchup against the MAC this season, Notre Dame sought revenge on the league with the reigning MAC champions on the other sideline. The Fighting Irish exorcised the demons from Northern Illinois and erased Miami (OH), 28-3, upending a RedHawks squad led by Chuck Martin who served as a Notre Dame assistant from 2010-13.
The first quarter made the game look primed for another low-scoring defensive slugfest, similar to that Notre Dame vs. Northern Illinois matchup in Week 2. Neither offense notched a single point in the first quarter, although Miami showed signs of promise offensively. The RedHawks threw an interception deep in Notre Dame territory on their opening drive, and their second series also stalled in Fighting Irish territory, firing an incompletion on a 3rd and 6.
Despite the inability to capitalize on those first two drives, Miami still made the first edit to the scoreboard, claiming a 3-0 advantage on a 26-yard chip shot field goal by Dom Dzioban with 12:32 remaining in the second quarter. The RedHawk defense then forced its second three-and-out of the game as a follow-up act to the field goal, but the offense amounted to nothing else for the final 42-and-a-half minutes of action.
Notre Dame surpassed Miami’s point total with 3:33 remaining in the half, as the Fighting Irish slowly matriculated down the field through the run game. Quarterback Riley Leonard maneuvered through defenders for a crafty 8-yard touchdown run. After a quick Notre Dame defensive stop, Leonard brought his team right back into the end zone, hitting Clemson transfer wide receiver Beaux Collins for a 38-yard score.
The Fighting Irish offense was in a rhythm which sustained through the halftime break. Leonard escaped for a 43-yard scamper in the early third quarter, but a fumble prevented Notre Dame from adding to its lead at that point. But that fumble only delayed the inevitable. Miami’s offense couldn’t generate any consistency, and Notre Dame answered with a pair of second half touchdowns — a 15-yard Jeremiyah Love run and a 50-yard house call for Leonard.
Down three starting offensive linemen due to injury, Notre Dame made its mark on the ground. The Fighting Irish picked up 270 rushing yards and three touchdowns on a 7.5 average, led by Leonard’s 143. One week after posting his second 100-yard rushing game of his college career, the senior set a career-high on the ground — while attaining 154 yards as a passer.
Miami’s offense did not witness similar success as the RedHawks finished without a touchdown for the second time in three games this season. The passing attack was particularly shaky as sixth-year senior quarterback Brett Gabbert completed 14-of-35 attempts for 119 yards with two interceptions. One week after posting five 35+ yard completions, Gabbert only completed one ball exceeding 13 yards, and Notre Dame’s defense had the aerial game all sniffed out. The Fighting Irish recorded four sacks and broke up eight passes, limiting the RedHawks’ ability to manufacture anything on offense.
Miami especially struggled on critical downs, converting just 2-of-12 tries while failing its only fourth down attempt in Notre Dame territory. After the 60-minute offensive struggle, the RedHawks officially checked in at last in the FBS in scoring offense at 8.3 points per game.
Miami (OH) (0-3, 0-0 MAC) already matched its loss total from the 2023 season just three games into the year. The RedHawks faced a challenging non-conference schedule to open the campaign, falling to Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame for its first 0-3 start since 2018. Miami currently has just two touchdowns on the year, and it looks to refurbish its offensive output next Saturday when returning home to Oxford, OH to host UMass.
Notre Dame (3-1, Independent) remains in the rankings after registering its first MAC victory of the year. The Fighting Irish have outscored opponents 94-10 since dropping a stunner to Northern Illinois. Marcus Freeman and his team aim to sustain the pace as a ranked matchup against 2023 ACC runner-up Louisville looms next week on the schedule.