The Notre Dame Fighting Irish takes to the road for the second time this season, looking to shake the jarring impact of the team’s loss to Northern Illinois. The travel for this trip will only involve a two-hour bus trip to face former long-time rival, the Purdue Boilermakers. The Irish remain double-digit favorites in this clash but are now in a position where their margin of error has become dangerously narrow.
The Boilermakers are coming off a bye week after opening the season with a resounding 49-0 shutout victory over Indiana State. Much like Notre Dame’s opponent last week, the Boilermakers’ convincing win is more indicative of the weakness of their opponent. Still, Purdue can make its season by delivering another shocking blow to the Irish’s national title hopes.
Below is a look at the key matchups to watch on Saturday:
QB Riley Leonard vs. Purdue Defense
After coming up with the clutch win over Texas A&M, Leonard struggled in the upset loss to Northern Illinois. One of his two interceptions came on a tip but the other proved to be fatal since it started NIU’s game-winning drive. As expected, Leonard is a threat when he runs but he’s beginning to establish some chemistry with his two main receiving targets, Beaux Collins and Kris Mitchell.
The Boilermaker defense dominated throughout against Indiana State and walked off the field having only allowed 154 yards of total offense. The run defense was especially strong, allowing an average of just 2.4 yards for Indiana State’s 43 carries. Realistically, Purdue seems more likely to revert to its 2023 form, when it allowed 382 yards per game. This unit is missing last year’s top sack man, Nic Scourton, who’s already faced the Irish with Texas A&M.
Notre Dame Defense vs. QB Hudson Card
Giving up only 16 points often means a win, something that eluded the Irish on Saturday. Yet, this unit also fell victim to multiple big plays, including two first-half passes to Northern Illinois running back Antario Brown that gained a combined 126 yards. Cleaning up those lapses will help reduce the chances of another devastating loss.
Card is in his second season behind the controls of the Boilermaker offense after spending three seasons at Texas. He comes off a 2024 spotless debut, completing 24 of 25 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns. Against the Irish, some of his flaws may resurface, which include some inconsistent performances. In addition, his average arm strength may keep him from trying to go deep.
NT Howard Cross vs. C Gus Hartwig
Cross and Rylie Mills are the first line of defense up the middle for Notre Dame, with Cross a leader up front. He’s got quick hands and looks to put up better numbers than his lone tackle against Northern Illinois. That performance and his animated postgame comments offer strong hints that he’ll be motivated to deliver against Purdue.
Hartwig is a veteran leader on the NIU line, so Cross will have his hands full, especially on passing downs. Keeping Cross in check will require Hertwig to negate the Irish lineman’s superior athleticism, with the Boilermaker center possessing a sharp football IQ that he hopes will pay dividends on Saturday.
RB Jeremiyah Love vs. Kydran Jenkins
Following a quiet first half against Northern Illinois, Love finished with 79 yards on 11 carries. His most spectacular run came on a 34-yard score when he leaped over a would-be tackler to give the Irish their last lead. Thus far, he’s shown the wisdom of making him the team’s main running back. A strong game on Saturday would help build back some of the confidence needed for a continued title push.
Jenkins hits hard and is a frequent visitor into opposing backfields after leading the team in stops behind the line last year. That was chiefly due to his status as an edge rusher, with his role changing this season. Purdue was barely challenged by Indiana State’s running game during its 2024 opener, which averaged a weak 2.4 yards per carry. Trying to contain LOve, Jadarian Price and other Irish runners will require a huge effort.
BS Adon Shuler vs. TE Max Klare
In just his second season at Notre Dame, Shuler has already won a starting role and collected his first interception in the Texas A&M win. Brings strong instincts for the game and can deliver a hard hit. When he’s not focused on Klare, he’s likely to be involved in helping stop the Purdue running game.
Klare made his first impact at Purdue last season with 22 catches and then collected five in the opening rout of Indiana State. That 2023 reception number would have likely been doubled had he not suffered a season-ending ankle injury that ended his year after just five games. He’s a great athlete who’s also a prospect in baseball and would get more attention from NFL scouts with a big game against the Irish.
