NOTRE DAME, Ind. (Interstat) — CJ Carr threw four touchdown passes and Notre Dame scored 21 first-quarter points while rolling to a 52-0 victory over Rice on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at Notre Dame Stadium. The Football Bowl Subdivision game drew an announced attendance of 77,622. Notre Dame improved to 2-0. Rice dropped to 1-1. The Fighting Irish scored 21 points in the first quarter and added 10 in the second. The Owls were held scoreless.

Carr, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback from Saline, Michigan, completed 16 of 20 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns. He directed an efficient Notre Dame offense that found the end zone through the air and on the ground. Carr opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 25-yard touchdown pass deep left to Jordan Faison with 10:30 remaining. Later in the first quarter, with 3:51 left, Carr connected with Faison again, this time on an 11-yard touchdown pass to the left side. Spencer Porath made the extra point after each score.

Notre Dame continued to build its lead with two short rushing touchdowns from N. James Jr. The first came with 13:43 remaining in the second quarter on a 1-yard run up the middle. The second came with 4:26 left in the second quarter, also on a 1-yard run up the middle. A Rice offside penalty on the first touchdown was declined. Porath converted both extra points.

Carr closed the first half with a 39-yard touchdown pass deep right to Micah Gilbert with 1:17 remaining in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Carr found Cooper Flanagan for a 2-yard touchdown pass with 11:41 remaining. Porath later added a 36-yard field goal with 4:21 left in the third quarter. The Irish defense kept Rice off the scoreboard throughout.

Jacurri Brown, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound quarterback from Valdosta, Georgia, led Rice with 8-of-12 passing for 64 yards. He also carried 16 times for 32 yards. DAndre Hardeman Jr., a 5-foot-8, 200-pound running back from Houston, ran nine times for 13 yards. Tyvonn Byars, a 5-foot-10, 214-pound running back from Montgomery, Texas, added seven carries for 24 yards.

Rice’s receiving corps was led by Barry Jackson Jr., who caught one pass for 30 yards. Chris Bruce had one reception for 19 yards and one tackle. Braylen Walker caught two passes for 12 yards. Ben Grice had two receptions for minus-8 yards. Payton Matthews had one catch for 6 yards. Jordan Clark, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound receiver from Manor, Texas, had one reception for 5 yards and two tackles. Charlie Durkin punted six times for 275 yards.

Rice’s defense saw extensive action. Cooper King, a 5-foot-10, 215-pound linebacker from Houston, recorded 10 tackles. AJ Brown, a 6-foot, 190-pound safety from Marietta, Georgia, had seven tackles. Kyren Condoll and Braden Bays each finished with five tackles. Bays is a 6-foot-3, 259-pound defender from Boerne, Texas. Koa Akui, a 5-foot-10, 187-pound safety from Hilo, Hawaii, had five tackles. Stone Combs, a 6-foot, 219-pound linebacker from Park City, Utah, also had five tackles.

Chibby Nwajuaku, a 6-foot-2, 242-pound defender from Cypress, Texas, had four tackles. Aquantis Clemmons, a 5-foot-10, 280-pound defender from Atlanta, had four tackles and one quarterback hurry. Jo Chavez, a 6-foot, 190-pound safety from Folsom, California, added four tackles. Jamir Benjamin, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound defensive back from Lansing, Michigan, had three tackles. Beau Barton, a 6-foot-3, 197-pound linebacker from Van, Texas, had three tackles and one quarterback hurry.

Joseph Mutombo, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound defender from Fort Worth, Texas, had two tackles. Zach Cody, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound defensive back from Coppell, Texas, had two tackles. Austin Harnetiaux, a 6-foot-3, 231-pound linebacker from Seattle, had two tackles. Brock Reddic had two tackles. Ahran Ogbor, a 5-foot-10, 209-pound safety from Spring, Texas, had two tackles. Caden VerMaas returned one kickoff for 8 yards and made one tackle. Tariq May, Dillan Botts, Jerrick Harper, Christopher Clark-Jolivet and Kaleb Blanton each had one tackle.

Notre Dame’s defense also produced key stops. Jaiden Ausberry, a 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, had five tackles. Cole Mullins, a 6-foot-5, 273-pound defender from Hoschton, Georgia, had one tackle. Madden Faraimo, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker from Oceanside, California, had one tackle. Tionne Gray, a 6-foot-6, 330-pound defender from St. Louis, had one tackle. Dallas Golden, a 6-foot, 185-pound cornerback from Tampa, Florida, returned two punts for 6 yards. Jasper Scaife punted once for 46 yards.

Notre Dame’s passing game spread the ball around. Jaden Greathouse, a 6-foot-1, 213-pound receiver from Austin, Texas, caught three passes for 48 yards. Logan Saldate, a 6-foot, 189-pound receiver from Gilroy, California, had three receptions for 36 yards. Elijah Burress caught three passes for 33 yards. Matt Jeffery, a 5-foot-11, 197-pound receiver from Cheshire, Connecticut, had two receptions for 28 yards. Mylan Graham, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound receiver from Fort Wayne, Indiana, had two catches for 24 yards. Devin Fitzgerald had one catch for 20 yards. Cooper Flanagan, a 6-foot-5, 239-pound tight end from Pleasant Hill, California, had one reception for 2 yards and one touchdown.

Rice entered the game after a 31-3 win over Houston Christian on Sept. 5. Notre Dame had opened with a 41-13 win over Wisconsin on Sept. 6. The Owls will next host Western Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 19. Rice then visits Fresno State on Sept. 26, hosts Texas-San Antonio on Oct. 3, visits East Carolina on Oct. 10, hosts Tulsa on Oct. 17, visits Florida Atlantic on Oct. 24, visits North Texas on Nov. 7, hosts Tulane on Nov. 14, visits Temple on Thursday, Nov. 19, and hosts Army on Nov. 28.

Notre Dame will host Michigan State on Sept. 19. The Fighting Irish then visit Purdue on Sept. 26, visit North Carolina on Oct. 3, host Stanford on Oct. 10, visit BYU on Oct. 17, visit Navy on Oct. 31, host Miami (FL) on Nov. 7, host Boston College on Nov. 14, host SMU on Nov. 21, and visit Syracuse on Nov. 28.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Notre Dame 41, Rice 17. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Notre Dame with a 99.8 percent probability to win. Rice had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of plus-44.5. The over/under line was 55.5. The combined score of 52 finished against that line.