Notre Dame defeats Miami 31-24 to strengthen College Football Playoff positioning

Notre Dame, ranked No. 11, overcame top-ranked Miami 31-24 in a game that had major playoff implications. The Fighting Irish built a 24-10 lead by early in the third quarter, and Miami did not score its first touchdown until nine minutes remained in that period. Miami narrowed the gap to 24-17 in the fourth quarter on a pass from quarterback Darian Mensah, but Notre Dame responded with a rushing touchdown by Nolan James Jr. to extend the lead. A final pass from Mensah to Elijah Lofton was deflected, sealing the victory for Notre Dame.

Post-game, head coach Marcus Freeman said, "I'm happy for this university, I'm happy for our players. When it mattered the most, they executed. It got a little ugly in the second half, but they battled through it and executed when it mattered the most." Freeman also directed quarterback CJ Carr to run two first-down plays that helped close out the game.

The win addresses Notre Dame's recent "must-win" situation, as the team seeks to maintain a strong schedule and avoid a slip in the College Football Playoff rankings that will be released on Tuesday. The Irish still face Boston College, SMU and Syracuse in the final three weeks of the regular season. Miami, meanwhile, will conclude its schedule against Duke, Virginia Tech and Boston College, while wide receiver Malachi Toney remains sidelined after a high-ankle sprain surgery.