SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Just a couple of weeks ago, Notre Dame’s defense was at what coach Marcus Freeman called “a low point.”
The Irish, who had one of the best defenses in college football last year, had given up 68 points in losses to Miami and Texas A&M, then still looked troubled in a 56-30 victory over Purdue.
On Saturday, the Irish appeared to have their defensive mojo back as they topped 2024 CFP qualifier Boise State 28-7 in the Broncos’ first trip to Notre Dame Stadium. They held Boise State to 315 yards after the Broncos entered the game averaging 520. And they also came away with four interceptions.
“They’ve stayed committed, stayed together,” Freeman said. “They worked tirelessly to come up with a better output. And I’m so proud of them.”
The win gave the Irish a good start to a three-game stretch at home that includes N.C. State followed by USC. On a day when the formidable Notre Dame offense was decent if not spectacular, the defense leads five takeaways from the win.
1. Cornerback Leonard Moore delivered as usual in his return.
Moore, named a preseason All-American by multiple outlets, missed Notre Dame’s last two games with a high ankle sprain suffered during the loss to Texas A&M. Freeman said Moore didn’t practice much in the lead-up to Saturday’s game, though he did get some practice reps this week.
That didn’t seem to matter.
Moore came away from the game with two interceptions — bringing his season total to three.
“It’s just a confidence that we as a coaching staff, the team has, when he’s out there,” Freeman said.
In the third quarter, Moore caught Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen’s pass in stride in front of intended receiver Latrell Caples. He also came up with a pick late in the game at the Notre Dame 22-yard line to make sure Boise State didn’t get above seven points.
Moore said being sidelined for two games hurt, but “it helps you not take it for granted.” He tried to help teammates through coaching off the field or watching film while out.
Moore went down in the second quarter against Texas A&M and said he knew something was wrong. But he still returned to play.
“I was just like if I can still run a little bit and adrenaline can take me through the game, I’m going to stick it out, knowing just what was at stake and what was on the line,” he said of the Texas A&M game. “It definitely hurt after the game knowing what it was, a high ankle sprain. But it feels good to be back now.”
2. After allowing an easy touchdown, the defense clamped down.
Late in the second quarter, Madsen ran all alone into the left side of the end zone, his hands raised as if in disbelief that no one was around. The 1-yard touchdown run put Boise State ahead 7-6 with 4 minutes, 7 seconds to play in the second quarter.
Notre Dame responded to pull ahead 14-7 with 48 seconds left in the half, but the Broncos were marching again.
That’s when safety Tae Johnson came up with a crucial interception in just his third career start.
One play after an Irish roughing-the-passer penalty, Johnson trotted up to grab Madsen’s overthrown pass to help the Irish take a one-score lead into the break.
“(Starting the last few games) shows you the confidence we have in him,” Freeman said. “He’s earned it through the way he’s practiced. He’s been close the last couple of games in getting some of those picks, and it was good to see him get one today. … He’s a freak athlete but improving in terms of how he’s playing the game. He’s got a high ceiling, and I’m excited for his future.”
Luke Talich also had a fourth-quarter interception against Madsen, who completed 22 of 37 passes for 215 yards. Notre Dame allowed just two plays of more than 20 yards.
“I felt like we were just getting our identity in check,” Moore said. “We were going out there and playing fast and playing violent. I wouldn’t compare it to last year. It’s a new group, new team. But we went out there and played violent.”
3. With kicker Noah Burnette out, the Irish failed to convert on two big fourth-down plays within range of the end zone in the first half.
Burnette missed his second game in three weeks with a right hip injury. Freeman said he kicked in practice Tuesday and was really sore. He tried to kick in pregame but was declared a no-go for the game.
Freeman said his absence played a role in the decision to go for it twice on fourth down in the first half.
On Notre Dame’s first drive, Jeremiyah Love was stopped for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Zion Washington and Boen Phelps were credited with the stop below a pile of Boise State tacklers.
In the second quarter, on fourth-and-8 from the 28, CJ Carr’s throw to a wide-open Will Pauling was out of reach as the receiver dived for the ball.
“They’re pissed — sorry to say that,” Freeman said of his players’ reactions. “They’re upset because they’re competitors and they want to be perfect. That’s the type of competitors we have in that locker room. That’s how I expect them to respond because when you get upset you understand there’s answers.”
Boise State went ahead 7-6 on the drive following that Carr miss, but the Irish quickly responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive and two-point conversion to go ahead 14-7.
4. Freeman was animated on the sideline after a fourth-quarter penalty on the Irish.
Early in the fourth quarter when Notre Dame led 21-7, officials called roughing the passer on defensive tackle Jason Onye, who landed with his full body weight on Madsen. The penalty wiped out linebacker Jaylen Sneed’s interception.
After the call, Freeman hurried down the sideline with officials, waving his arm up and down as he pointed toward the ground.
Freeman said he knows referee Justin Elliott and spoke with the officials before the game, asking them to protect their quarterback and asking about some of the penalties they’ve called this season.
“I’m sure he’s right,” Freeman said of the penalty. “I’ll go back and look, but in the heat of the moment you want to defend your guys. I don’t know what Jason (Onye) can do. … It’s hard. He’s 300-some pounds. They try to get to the side and not land on him. That’s a difficult thing to do.”
Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa was called for roughing the passer earlier in the game, which Freeman said was because his hand hit Madsen’s helmet early in the play. Madsen was later tackled on a scramble out of bounds.
5. In a game with fewer offensive highlights than usual, Jadarian Price delivered.
Multiple Boise State defenders bounced off Price like pinballs as he weaved around for a 49-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on the Irish win.
Price prides himself on breaking tackles and said the run was a credit to the work they put in during the offseason on that skill.
“In the running back room, we’re all about yards after contact,” Price said. “Sometimes we joke around, ‘Hey, let’s go touch a guy so we can get that yards after contact.’”
It was the longest play of the day for the Irish, who totaled 389 yards of offense.
Price had eight carries for 83 yards, while Love had 16 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown. Carr completed 15 of 23 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns — a 19-yarder to Will Pauling and a 6-yarder to Malachi Fields.
The 28-point output came after consecutive games scoring 56 points.
“I don’t know if it necessarily was hard. I think we didn’t execute to the level we know we can,” Carr said. “There were just plays all over the field offensively we could have made. I think we let those guys off the hook. And that has nothing to do with the Boise defense. I just think when we’re playing the Notre Dame offense, it’s hard to stop us.”