Irish Hammer Boilermakers 66-7

WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana – The University of Notre Dame football team exploded for 42 points in the first half, played most of its reserve players in the second half and cruised to a dominating 66-7 win over Purdue on Saturday afternoon. 

Riley Leonard led the offensive explosion in the first half, rushing for 100 yards and three consecutive touchdowns while passing for 112 yards. By the time Jadarian Price rambled 70 yards on Notre Dame’s final play of the first half – part of the 278 Irish rushing yards in the first 30 minutes – the outcome had been determined. 

The Irish defense was just as dominant as its offensive counterparts, holding Purdue to just 162 yards and 1-12 on third down. The effort was highlighted by freshman Boubacare Traore’s 34-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Steve Angeli played most of the entire second half at quarterback in relief of Leonard and finished six for nine passing for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Third-string quarterback Kenny Minchey finished off the scoring for Notre Dame with a five-yard touchdown run.  

Notre Dame tight ends Mitchell Evans and Eli Raridon led the team with three receptions each, while their position counterparts Cooper Flanagan and Kevin Bauman both caught touchdown passes. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Notre Dame struck quickly on its first drive with a five-play scoring drive that featured two passes, a quarterback rush for a first down then a Jeremiyah Love 48-yard touchdown run down the right sidelines. Love outran a Boilermaker defender to the sideline, cut up the field and out-raced the rest of the Purdue defense for his career-best run. 

Love keyed the next scoring drive for the Irish with a 21-yard run on the third play. After Leonard rushed for a first down, the Irish found themselves in third and eight at the Purdue 46 and pulled off a perfect running back draw as Aneyas Williams fought up the middle for nine yards. Leonard then hit Eli Raridon for nine yards, Jayden Thomas for 13 yards and eventually capped the drive with a five-yard touchdown run. 

The Irish earned the ball back with a third-down sack from defensive end Jordan Bothelho. The scoring drive for Notre Dame featured a clutch third down conversion to Mitchell Evans (who stretched out to reach the line to gain). Later on second down, Leonard took a designed run outside to the left – and in similar fashion to Love earlier in the game – cut back from the sideline, broke a tackle and rambled 34 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the game. 

Notre Dame quickly got the ball back and continued to convert on third down, a 23-yard play to Jayden Thomas, a 11-yard scramble from Leonard and Evans again for 19 yards to the Purdue 13-yard line. Leonard finished off the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run. 

Up 28-0 now, the Irish defense decided to get in on the scoring on the fourth play of Purdue’s next drive. Pressured by Rylie Mills, Purdue quarterback Hudson Card tried to roll out and get rid of the ball, but the short pass was intercepted by Boubacare Traore who returned the ball 34 yards for a defensive touchdown. 

After the kickoff, Purdue was held to three and out and the Irish offense looked like they were hoping to score before the half with :41 seconds remaining. But a holding call on a 24-yard pass play negated the scoring potential… until Jadarain Price took a hand off up the middle, cut the left and out ran the entire Purdue defense for a spectacular 70-yard touchdown run. 

The Irish entered the half up 42-0 while Leonard became the first FBS quarterback to throw for 100 yards, rush for 100 yards and three touchdowns in a first half since Lamar Jackson in 2015. He would grab a headset and watch the second half of the game. 

Desperate to try to put together a drive, Purdue went for it on fourth and three on their first drive. Christian Gray broke up the pass and newly inserted Irish quarterback Steve Angeli found a wide open Cooper Flangan on his second play for a 28-yard touchdown strike. 

Notre Dame started to play their back up players on defense as well and Purdue was able to put together their first scoring drive. Card found a wide open receiver when two Irish defensive backs ran into each other down to the Irish seven-yard line. One play later Card tossed a five-yard touchdown pass to cut the Irish lead to 49-7. 

Angeli followed by leading his second scoring drive on Notre Dame’s next possession. The big play was a 42-yard pass to Jayden Harrison to move the ball into Purdue territory. The drive stalled after three runs, however, and Mitch Jeter converted a 42-yard field goal for a 52-7 advantage. 

The Irish were not done scoring. Angeli scrambled for 29 yards into Purdue territory on the next drive and Love moved over 100 rushing yards on the next play with an 11-yard carry. After the third quarter break, Angeli rolled left and tossed an easy touchdown pass to senior tight end Kevin Bauman. It was the first touchdown of Bauman’s career, a highlight of a return from a knee injury that kept him out for the 2023 season. 

Notre Dame’s third and fourth string quarterbacks also saw action, including sophomore Kenny Minchey who rushed for 12 yards in the game, including his first career touchdown to cap the scoring for the Irish.