SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jadarian Price scored four touchdowns, including a 100-yard kickoff return, and No. 24 Notre Dame beat Purdue 56-30 on Saturday for its first win of the season.
The Irish beat the Boilermakers for the 10th straight time, including last season’s 66-7 blowout. Notre Dame leads the series 61-26-2.
Coming off losses against No. 4 Miami and No. 10 Texas A&M to start the season, Notre Dame (1-2) took command with three touchdowns in the third quarter to break away from a 35-23 halftime lead.
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Freeman said that he challenged his team as individuals after the rough start to the season.
“It was a realistic understanding: Stop making yourself feel better by saying we’re four points away from being 2-0, or, we’re close,” Freeman said of his message to the Fighting Irish before the game. “We’re 0-2. You have to say that to them so they don’t embrace it and understand the work they have to put in. That’s what we needed at this moment. To be challenged and understand our backs are against the wall at this moment. How are we going to fight and get out of this?”
Price scored three rushing touchdowns (21, 9 and 1 yards). He carried the ball nine times for 74 yards and finished with 216 all-purpose yards. His 100-yard kickoff return happened with 1:13 remaining in the second quarter after Purdue closed to 28-16.
“It felt good, especially because the first (return) earlier in the game, I was pretty close,” Price said of the 100-yard return. ”I had one guy to beat and I would have scored. I owed them one on the second one.”
Jeremiyah Love finished with 157 yards rushing on 19 carries, including scoring runs of 46 yards and 1 yard. Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr was 10-of-12 passing for 223 yards and two touchdowns.
The game was delayed by 1 hour, 54 minutes in the second quarter because of lightning.
Quarterback Ryan Browne was 21-of-34 passing for 250 yards and one touchdown for Purdue (2-2).
Purdue surprised Notre Dame when Browne hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from running back Devin Mockobee early in the first quarter to tie the score 7-7.
“I thought our offense gave us a chance to win,” Purdue coach Barry Odom said. “That kickoff return really hurt us. We can’t allow that to happen. I’m disappointed that we in get into a game of this magnitude and we didn’t play our best ball.”
Waiting game
Purdue has endured lightning delays in consecutive games. The Boilermakers had a lightning delay of 3:05 before it’s game against USC last week.
The takeaway
Notre Dame: The defense came under fire after recording only one sack and one interception in its first two games — a 27-24 loss to Miami and a 41-40 loss to Texas A&M. The Fighting Irish fought back with two interceptions and two sacks against Purdue. After giving up 23 points and 286 total yards of offense in the first half, Notre Dame allowed only one touchdown — with 1:53 left in the game.
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Purdue: The defense looked sharp in its first two games, a 31-0 shutout of Ball State and a 34-17 victory against Southern Illinois. However, in its last two games — a 33-17 loss to USC and the Notre Dame romp — the Boilermakers gave up a combined 995 yards of total offense.
Up next
- Notre Dame plays at Arkansas on Saturday.
- Purdue is off next week before returning to Big Ten action against Illinois on Oct. 4.