Notre Dame defeats Rice 52-0 to move to 2-0 record

Notre Dame dominated Rice in its 2026 home opener, securing a 52-0 victory on September 12, 2026. The Irish offense performed efficiently, reaching the end zone on six of seven drives while the first-team unit was on the field. Wide receiver Jordan Faison caught two touchdowns, while linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa returned to action with five tackles and a fumble recovery. Although the scoring performance was consistent, the team averaged only 3.7 yards per carry across 32 attempts from five different running backs. Notre Dame moves to 2-0 on the season, with losses by other top-ranked programs in the polls potentially shifting the team's standing in the national rankings.

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