Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 OCT. 3, 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TODD D. BURLAGE N otre Dame faithful and NFL fans didn't have to wait long for a highly anticipated matchup between two of their Fighting Irish sons when tailbacks Jeremiyah Love of the Arizona Cardi- nals and Jadarian Price of the Seattle Seahawks played against each other Sept. 20 in Week 2 of the NFL season. With both 2026 first-round draft picks competing in the NFC West Divi- sion, this first clash between these two All-Americans is presumably the first of many in the years to come. Price and Seattle dominated this first meeting between the former teammates in a 31-7 road victory at State Farm Sta- dium in Glendale, Ariz. Ahead of the game, both star tailbacks spoke about their reunion. "It'll be a very special moment," Price said. "And I know that a lot of Notre Dame fans and Notre Dame people look forward to that moment." Love also provided his insight before this competitive collision with Price. "He's still my brother, at the end of the day. But we're preparing to go to war," Love shared. "… I'm excited to see him. I haven't talked to him in a minute. It will be good to compete against him. And then after the game, talk to him and see how he's doing." Like all firsts, this meeting between these two former teammates will be forever remembered by both, even if their statistical performances probably won't be. Price carried 13 times for 52 yards and added 1 reception for 8 yards before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a chest injury that wasn't deemed to be serious or a long-term issue. Love managed 29 yards on 9 carries and added 3 receptions for 16 yards. As division rivals, Love and Price will compete against one another at least twice each regu- lar season as long as they remain with their current franchises. They will meet again Nov. 8 at Lumen Field in Seattle and perhaps even in the postsea- son when they will again put all pleasantries aside. "We're playing against each other," Love said when asked about franchise over friend- ship. "I would take my team over [Price] because it's my team. I'm with the Cardinals. He's with the Seahawks." A NEW STANDARD Living up to lofty expectations after being selected No. 2 over- all by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2026 WNBA Draft, former Irish point guard Olivia Miles set the single-season rookie scoring record Sept. 20. The leading WNBA Rookie of the Year candidate scored her 770th point of the season in the second quarter during a 101-89 victory over the Connecticut Sun to surpass the previous record of 769 points scored by Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in 2024. Miles had been on pace to break Clark's record all season and was happy to get her chase over with. "Things like that tend to loom over your head. You just want to get it done and out of the way," Miles said afterward. "It was a cool moment. I was really just locked into what I had to execute." Through Sept. 21, Miles had scored 790 total points, and was averaging 19.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game with her first-place Lynx. The two-time All-American at Notre Dame in 2023 and 2025, before becom- ing the 2026 Big 12 Player of the Year after transferring to TCU, wrapped up her first WNBA regular season with a home-and-home series against Clark and the Fever Sept. 22 and Sept. 24. ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Brandon Aubrey (Played at Notre Dame from 2013-16), K, Dallas Cowboys, NFL The fourth-year Cowboy and former Irish soccer star, who is already a three-time NFL All-Pro, enjoyed one of the best games of his career Sept. 20 when he went a perfect 7 of 7 on his kicks in a 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders. Aubrey converted all of four of his extra points and all three of his field goals, including a 60-yard strike, alongside conversions from 25 and 44 yards. Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens, NFL Working in a variety of roles and positions for the Ravens, the former first-round draft pick and three-time Pro Bowler played every defensive snap for the Ravens in a 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints Sept. 20. Hamilton showed his versatility by recording a career-high 13 tackles (7 solo), all while working in slot coverage against the pass and up front in the box against the run. Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams, NFL The former 2022 fifth-round NFL Draft pick showed his versatility as part of the Rams' potent offensive attack in a 28-6 victory over the New York Giants Sept. 21. Williams recorded 85 rushing yards on only 12 carries (7.1 yards per rush) and added 2 receptions for 12 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter that gave the Rams a comfortable 14-0 lead. Rookie Irish First-Round Draft Picks Reunite In The NFL I R I S H I N T H E P R O S Former Notre Dame running backs Jadarian Price (left) of the Seattle Seahawks and Jeremiyah Love (right) of the Arizona Cardinals faced each other for the first time in the NFL during Seattle's 31-7 victory Sept. 20. PHOTO COURTESY SEATTLE SEAHAWKS