Notre Dame defeats Rice 52-0 in home opener at Notre Dame Stadium

Notre Dame secured a 52-0 victory over Rice on September 12, 2026, in South Bend, Indiana. The Fighting Irish set an aggressive tone early when Boubacar Traore returned a fumble for a touchdown just 14 seconds into the game. Quarterback CJ Carr finished the contest 16-of-20 passing for 263 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with Jordan Faison, Micah Gilbert, and Cooper Flanagan. Running back Nolan James contributed two short-yardage touchdown runs to help extend the lead. The Notre Dame defense maintained the shutout throughout the afternoon, including a late forced fumble by Kahanu Kia to prevent a Rice score. The win improves Notre Dame to 2-0 on the season as the team utilized a significant portion of its roster, including second and third-string players.

• 1:37 AMYahoo Sports — Marcus Freeman Talks Notre Dame's Massive Win Over Rice In Home Opener
• 1:06 AMYahoo Sports — PHOTO GALLERY: Notre Dame 52, Rice 0
• 10:30 PMYahoo Sports — Notre Dame cooks Rice for a 52-0 win in the home opener