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Matt Audilet covers national trending news across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, college football and college basketball for Newsweek. His previous bylines can be found on Athlon Sports and The Spun. You can read more of Matt’s work by following him on X @matthew_audilet
Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish notched their first win of the 2025 college football season on Saturday, taking down the unranked Purdue Boilermakers with a 56-30 final score in South Bend.
Notre Dame’s offense fired on all cylinders in the Week 3 win. Quarterback CJ Carr notched 223 yards and two touchdowns on 10-12 passing, and superstar running back Jeremiyah Love took 19 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
But for the third week in a row, the Fighting Irish defense left something to be desired.
Chris Ash’s defensive unit gave up 379 total yards to Purdue’s offense (303 yards through the air). The Boilermakers converted 21 first downs and possessed the ball for 28:00 minutes.
Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter of the game at Hard Rock Stadium on August 31, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter of the game at Hard Rock Stadium on August 31, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Megan Briggs/Getty Images
Notre Dame’s defense allowed 27 points in a 27-24 loss to Miami to open the season. The Fighting Irish followed that performance by allowing 41 points in a 41-40 loss to Texas A&M last weekend.
While Notre Dame is in clear need of improvement on the defensive side of the ball, head coach Marcus Freeman still believes in Ash’s unit moving forward.
Freeman responded to postgame questions about his defense, which he insists is “getting better.”
“I don’t think they’re confused. We just aren’t executing. But it isn’t like our guys don’t know what they’re doing. They know what they’re doing,” Freeman said, via team beat reporter Tyler Horka.
Marcus Freeman on Notre Dame’s defensive players: “I don’t think they’re confused. We just aren’t executing. But it isn’t like our guys don’t know what they’re doing. They know what they’re doing.”
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) September 21, 2025
Marcus Freeman on the Notre Dame defense: “We’re getting better.”
He said it adamantly and confidently.
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) September 21, 2025
Freeman admits that his defense started to “panic” when they were unable to contain Purdue with a variety of coverage schemes. The 39-year-old head coach says his team needs to do a better job of “marrying up” secondary coverage with pressure from the defensive front.
Marcus Freeman admits the Notre Dame defense started to “panic” when the Fighting Irish put every type of coverage scheme out there but nothing was stopping Purdue.
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) September 21, 2025
Marcus Freeman says Notre Dame needs to do a better job of “marrying up” coverage with pressure from the defensive front.
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) September 21, 2025
Earlier this week, Freeman was asked if he plans to spend more time working with Ash and the defense following their shaky start.
“As a leader it’s important to wear the hat that’s necessary at that moment,” Freeman said. “… “Maybe. If that’s what’s necessary, I will.”
Notre Dame will face off against the Arkansas Razorbacks in their next matchup on Saturday.