South Bend, Ind.— Leonard Moore returned from injury and immediately made his presence felt. The All-America cornerback snagged two of Notre Dame’s four interceptions, leading the 21st-ranked Fighting Irish to a 28–7 victory over Boise State on Saturday night.
Moore, who had missed the previous two games with a high ankle sprain, spearheaded a defense that finally looked like last season’s turnover-hungry unit. The Irish (3–2) picked off four passes — matching their total from the first four games combined — and smothered what had been a productive Boise State offense.
“It definitely feels good,” Moore said. “When anyone on our team gets an interception, it energizes everyone. We’re finding our identity again — playing fast and playing violent.”
Quarterback CJ Carr managed the offense efficiently, completing 15 of 23 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns — a 24-yarder to Will Pauling and a 12-yard strike to Malachi Fields.
Star running back Jeremiyah Love briefly exited in the first half after taking a hard hit but returned to rush for 103 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown. Jadarian Price added 83 yards on the ground and a 49-yard scoring burst as Notre Dame’s offense built a steady lead and let its defense take control.
For head coach Marcus Freeman, the performance was a welcome turnaround for a defense that had faced criticism earlier in the season.
“To think where that defense was two weeks ago — it was a low point for all of us,” Freeman said. “They stayed committed, worked tirelessly, and tonight it showed. I’m so proud of them.”
Boise State (3–2) struggled to maintain momentum after a solid opening quarter. Quarterback Maddux Madsen threw all four interceptions but scored the Broncos’ lone touchdown on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter.
“Early on, we gave up too many explosive plays,” said Boise State coach Spencer Danielson. “Offensively, we moved the ball but kept shooting ourselves in the foot. You can’t beat many teams when you have four turnovers and 13 penalties.”
Saturday’s meeting marked the first-ever matchup between Notre Dame and Boise State — a rare clash between two of the winningest programs in FBS history. The Fighting Irish, ranked fifth all-time in win percentage, held the top-ranked Broncos to just seven points.
Notre Dame’s defense, criticized for giving up 32.7 points per game through its first three outings, has now allowed just 13 points over the past two contests combined.
Up Next:
Notre Dame returns home to face N.C. State next Saturday.
Boise State will look to regroup when it hosts New Mexico.
