College Sports

Notre Dame Makes Statement but Takes Hit on Playoffs Hopes

Notre Dame won big on Saturday but the Fighting Irish’s College Football Playoff hopes got dinged by another team.
Notre Dame Makes Statement but Takes Hit on Playoffs Hopes
Jeremiyah Love #4 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs the ball for a touchdown in the first half during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark., on Sept. 27, 2025. Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Matthew Davis
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Notre Dame dominated Arkansas on Saturday in hopes of impressing the College Football Playoff committee.

The Fighting Irish lost a pair of close games to ranked teams to start the season, but a first-half offensive explosion of 42 points helped the Irish roll to 2–2 with a 56–13 blowout of Arkansas (2–3). That marked the second week in a row where the Irish put up 56 points on a Power Four opponent.

Matthew Davis
Matthew Davis
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Matthew Davis is an experienced, award-winning journalist who has covered major professional and college sports for years. His writing has appeared on Heavy, the Star Tribune, and The Catholic Spirit. He has a degree in mass communication from North Dakota State University.