Notre Dame’s season was staring down a pass/fail assignment Saturday night, with everything on the line, and despite some fourth-quarter jitters, Marcus Freeman’s squad came through! They just snagged a massive 31-24 victory right there at Notre Dame against the nation’s No. 1 team, Miami. This was it, the only remaining shot they had for a marquee win to make a real statement.
Notre Dame Delivers, Miami Sputters
Listen, an ‘A’ grade usually means total domination, right? Well, Notre Dame didn’t exactly blow Miami out of the water in every stat category. But this wasn’t about looking pretty, it was about getting that marquee win, period. And they got it. Early on, they were showing glimpses of pure domination, jumping out to a wild 24-3 lead against the top-ranked Hurricanes! I mean, whoa. But then Miami fought back, making it real uncomfortable. It took a couple of clutch late stops from the Fighting Irish defense to seal the deal. Quarterback CJ Carr, man, he stepped up, throwing for over 300 yards for the first time all season. Talk about rising to the occasion when it matters most!
On the flip side, what a mess for No. 1 Miami. You could just see it coming. Without their star receiver Malachi Toney, that offense sputtered and stammered through the entire first half. Falling behind 24-3, that hole was just too deep to climb out of, even with a late push. And hey, credit to Notre Dame’s CJ Carr for exposing the Hurricanes’ secondary, that unit looked vulnerable.
Other Contenders Light Up the Scoreboard
Meanwhile, over in the land of the other title contenders, No. 2 Georgia absolutely *crushed* it, stomping Ole Miss 42-7. They racked up 221 yards in just the first quarter and hit a 21-0 lead barely a minute into the second. Unlike some other teams, Georgia didn’t let up. Their No. 2 spot in the initial CFP Rankings felt a little early to some, but this game? This showing in a hostile environment against a good Ole Miss team, it proved all those predictive metrics right. When Georgia shows up, they truly are the best team in college football.
And then you have No. 3 Utah, picking up a gritty 28-20 win against BYU. BYU actually roared back with 20 straight points to close the first half after being down 14-0. But Utah’s defense, man, they got ruthless in the second half. Three picks off BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier in that second half alone! Quarterback Devon Dampier survived a shaky stretch, eventually getting loose to help his team secure the win.
What’s Next for the Championship Picture
So, with these grades handed out after Week 10, the national championship odds are starting to really solidify. Georgia is sitting pretty at +240, while Miami is at +800 despite the loss. Utah is at +2200, and No. 4 Indiana, who had a bye this week, is at +850. Notre Dame, with their season-saving ‘A’ grade performance, just showed everyone they belong in the conversation for Selection Sunday. You gotta wonder if this is the turning point for them to really make a push!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply