Notre Dame Dominates Purdue With a 66-7 Victory

© Alex Martin/Journal and Courier/USA TODAY NETWORK

The No. 18-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-1) bounced back with a win against the Purdue Boilermakers (1-1) in West Lafeyette, Ind., on Sept. 14. Notre Dame came out strong taking an early lead and never looked back. They coasted to a crucial win against their in-state rival after a devastating loss to Northern Illinois last week.

Game Summary

Notre Dame jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead with their dominant rushing attack. Running back Jeremiyah Love ran in a 48-yard touchdown on the opening drive for the Fighting Irish. Quarterback Riley Leonard added three more scores on the ground in the first half as Purdue struggled on defense. Notre Dame's defense also dominated early on the road. The Boilermakers were held to zero points and only four first downs throughout the first 30 minutes of play. Quarterback Hudson Card was unable to get in a rhythm and the run-game was non-existent. Notre Dame defensive lineman Boubacar Traore would even score on a 34-yard interception return late in the second quarter. Running back Jadarian Price then added a 70-yard touchdown to make it 42-0 at the half.

Notre Dame would immediately move to their backup quarterback Steve Angeli to start the second half. They continued to score and hold the Purdue offense to limited production. Angeli would throw for 2 touchdowns in his time on the field. Purdue did avoid a shutout with a Hudson Card touchdown pass to wide receiver De'Nylon Morrissette in the third quarter. The remainder of the game was played mostly without starters on either side as the outcome was determined by halftime.

Turning Point for Notre Dame

Notre Dame was in command of the game from the start. They seemed to deliver an early finishing blow on a 34-yard touchdown run from Leonard in the second quarter. The Boilermaker defense could not corral and take down Leonard as he worked his way down the sideline and into the end zone for the score.

Leonard continued to lead the offensive attack finishing with 3 touchdowns and 100 rushing yards on the day. He also added 112 passing yards going 11-of-16 through the air.

What It Means for Each Team?

It was important for Notre Dame to get back on track with a decisive win after such a disappointing loss to NIU. Head coach Marcus Freeman's team seemed much more aggressive and motivated in this matchup. They need to carry this momentum as their schedule begins to ramp up in the coming weeks. Their offensive line did take a significant hit with three starters leaving for the game with injuries—all in the first half. The significance of those injuries is yet to be known, but those losses would be detrimental to a rushing-focused offense.

Purdue struggled all afternoon and will look to regroup before facing off against the Oregon State Beavers (2-1) on Sept. 21. The Boilermakers will need to get off to a much better start next week. Their offense struggled to move the ball on the ground as Notre Dame forced them to be one-dimensional. They will need to have a more successful rushing attack in the future. Second-year head coach Ryan Walters will look for his team to improve as they approach conference play in a new and improved Big Ten Conference.