Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 26, 2026 25 1st Career punt block by junior wide receiver Matt Jeffery, setting up Notre Dame's opening touchdown. It marked the Irish's sixth blocked punt since the start of the 2024 season (three in 2024 and two in 2025). 3 Points allowed by the Fighting Irish defense in the second halves of their first three games of the 2026 season. Wisconsin scored a third-quarter field goal, while Rice and Michigan State were blanked after halftime. Notre Dame has outscored its opponents 48-3 in the second half. 13 Consecutive victories by double-digit margins for Notre Dame, dat- ing back to Sept. 20, 2025. The 13-game streak is the longest active double-digit win streak in the FBS and the longest in program history. It also is tied for the 10th-longest winning streak in program history. 33.3% Havoc rate for the Notre Dame defense against Michigan State. The Fighting Irish compiled 6 tackles for loss, 6 passes broken up, 2 interceptions and 1 forced fumble in just 45 plays versus the Spartans. 37:02 Time of possession for Notre Dame, which ran 67 plays to Michigan State's 45. The closing statement was a 10-play (all runs), 49-yard drive to erase the final 5:02 off the clock to put the game away. 40 Total yards — including 0 in the ground — for Michigan State in the sec- ond half against the stingy Notre Dame defense. That marks the fewest second half rushing and total yards allowed by a Freeman-coached team. The Irish surrendered only 167 yards for the entire game. Through three contests, they were allowing only 193.0 yards per outing. 44 Rushing yards on 27 attempts (1.6 per carry) for Michigan State, which came into the game averaging 204 yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry. Even after removing 4 sacks for 35 yards, Michigan State gained only 79 yards on 23 non-sack rushing attempts, an average of 3.4 yards per carry. The Irish have now allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards in four straight games, dating back to last season's finale at Stanford on Nov. 29, 2025. 68 Of Michigan State's 167 total yards (40.7%) came on its two-play touch- down drive in the second quarter — a 53-yard completion by quarter- back Alessio Milivojevoc to wide receiver Rodney Bullard Jr., and quarterback Cam Fancher's ensuing 15-yard touchdown run. The Spartans gained just 99 yards on their other 43 snaps (2.3 yards per play). 121 Yards on 26 rushing attempts for Irish sophomore running back Nolan James Jr. That is the first 100-yard game for the Irish this season and for James in his career. James' previous career high was 29 yards on 6 carries against Rice Sept. 12. Notre Dame entered the game averaging 114.5 rushing yards but finished with a season-high 161 yards on 43 attempts, a 3.7-yard average. 170 Receiving yards on 8 catches for Gilbert against Michigan State. It marked Notre Dame's first 100-yard receiving game since tight end Eli Raridon notched 109 against North Carolina State on Oct. 11, 2025. Gilbert's 170 yards were the most by an Irish player since wide receiver Chase Claypool caught 9 passes for 180 yards and 1 touchdown in a 48-37 victory over Wake Forest on Nov. 4, 2017. BY THE NUMBERS BY STEVE DOWNEY 0 Touchdown passes for Notre Dame junior quar- terback CJ CARR against Michigan State. Carr had thrown touchdown passes in each of his last 14 games, which was two shy of Brady Quinn's school record of 16 consecutive games with a pass- ing touchdown (set from 2004-05). Nonetheless, Carr completed 75.0% of his passes, averaged 9.75 yards per attempt and committed no turnovers. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER