Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Notre Dame vs. Purdue: Carr’s Four TDs, Bowen Scoop-and-Score Fuel 49-10 Rout
CJ Carr threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, while Drayk Bowen returned a Bryce Young-forced fumble 15 yards for a score as No. 3 Notre Dame moved to 4-0.
No. 3 Notre Dame beat Purdue 49-10 on Saturday in West Lafayette, building a 35-0 halftime lead and improving to 4-0. CJ Carr completed 14 of 22 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns, added a rushing score and threw his first interception of the season.
The rout was not only about Carr. Bryce Young’s pressure produced a turnover that Drayk Bowen returned 15 yards for a touchdown, and Notre Dame finished with a 444-218 advantage in total offense while holding Purdue to 40 rushing yards.
The first half was over long before halftime
Carr opened the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Micah Gilbert. Notre Dame then added a rushing score and Carr’s quarterback keeper before the defense joined the scoring.
Young’s pressure forced the fumble that Bowen returned 15 yards for a touchdown, and Carr later found Nolan James Jr. for another score to send Notre Dame to halftime ahead 35-0.
Young and Bowen turned pressure into points
Young’s pass rush set the tone early and his second sack forced the fumble that Bowen returned for a touchdown. That defensive score pushed the game beyond a normal two-possession comeback.
The broader numbers match the pressure: Notre Dame finished with a 444-218 advantage in total offense and a 177-40 edge in rushing yards, preventing Purdue from building a sustained response.
Carr’s interception did not change control — North Carolina is next
Carr threw his first interception of the season early in the second half, but Purdue could not turn the short-field opportunity into a touchdown. Notre Dame’s defense answered with a fourth-down stop near its own goal line.
Notre Dame finished the road win at 49-10 and moved to 4-0 while Purdue fell to 1-3. The Irish next travel to North Carolina on October 3, as listed in Notre Dame’s official 2026 schedule.
