Notre Dame Crushes Syracuse 70-7 in Historic Senior Day Rout

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In a performance that will be etched into Notre Dame lore, the Fighting Irish unleashed a torrent of offensive, defensive, and special teams dominance to dismantle the injury-riddled Syracuse Orange 70-7 on Senior Day at a sold-out Notre Dame Stadium. The lopsided affair not only propelled Notre Dame to a 9-2 record but also set a modern-era scoring record for the program, surpassing the 69 points tallied against Georgia Tech in 1977. It was the most points for the Irish since a 73-0 drubbing of Haskell in 1932.

The game, broadcast nationally on NBC before a crowd of 77,622 under sunny skies and 44-degree temperatures, served as a stark reminder of the chasm between a playoff hopeful and a rebuilding squad. Syracuse, limping to a 3-8 finish in a season marred by key injuries—including the Achilles tear to former Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli—entered as massive underdogs. But even the most optimistic Orange fans couldn’t have foreseen the carnage that unfolded in South Bend.

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First Quarter Magic

Notre Dame’s defense and special teams wrote the opening chapter of this blowout before the Irish offense ever took the field. Syracuse, starting freshman walk-on quarterback Joe Filardi in place of the sidelined starter, managed just one completion on their opening drive before disaster struck. On the second play from scrimmage, Filardi’s pass was picked off by safety Jalen Stroman—filling in for the injured Tae Johnson—and returned 44 yards for a touchdown just 1:08 into the game. It was a Senior Day special, igniting the home crowd and setting the tone. The Orange’s next possession fared no better. Punter Jack Stonehouse’s kick was blocked by—you guessed it—Stroman, and teammate Luke Talich scooped the loose ball and rumbled 22 yards into the end zone for another defensive score. At the 12:19 mark of the first quarter, Notre Dame led 14-0, and their offense hadn’t recorded a single snap.

The Irish finally took over at the 7:52 mark, and the explosion continued. Running back Jeremiyah Love, already a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, capped a quick drive with a 12-yard touchdown scamper on his first carry of the day. Moments later, cornerback Leonard Moore joined the party with a 35-yard pick-six off Filardi, pushing the lead to 28-0. Love wasn’t done; he bolted 68 yards for his second score on the next drive, and Jadarian Price added a 25-yard touchdown burst to close the quarter. In a span of just over seven minutes, Notre Dame erupted for 35 points—the most in any opening quarter in program history. Syracuse, meanwhile, was held scoreless and managed just 12 yards of total offense in the frame. Their defense, depleted by injuries to key contributors like running back Yasin Willis, couldn’t stem the tide.

Second-Half Substitutions Can’t Stop the Bleeding

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The mercy rule might as well have been invoked after halftime, but the Irish kept pouring it on. Love’s dominance continued unabated; the junior phenom finished with 171 yards on just eight carries and three touchdowns, leaving him shy of Vagas Ferguson’s single-season rushing record from 1979. With one regular-season game left at Stanford, Love’s Heisman case strengthened immeasurably—his efficiency (21.4 yards per carry) was a masterclass in explosive running.

Notre Dame’s ground game as a whole overwhelmed Syracuse for 329 yards, showcasing the depth of Marcus Freeman’s backfield. Backup Aneyas Williams broke two tackles en route to a 30-yard touchdown in the third quarter, while walk-on CJ Minchey—playing in garbage time—added a 25-yard score in the fourth. The Irish tacked on two more defensive touchdowns in the second half, including a strip-sack returned for six by the reserves.

Looking Ahead

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For Notre Dame, this statement win on Senior Day—honoring standouts like Stroman and Moore—bolstered their resume for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. With a favorable final matchup at Stanford, the Irish are in a prime position for an at-large bid, potentially even hosting a first-round game if chaos ensues elsewhere in the rankings.

Syracuse, under first-year coach Fran Brown, heads into a home finale against Boston College. The Orange’s 1-6 ACC mark reflects a tough slate, including four games against last year’s playoff teams, but silver linings like Mangano’s emergence offer hope amid the rebuild.

As the echoes of “Sweet Caroline” faded from Notre Dame Stadium, one thing was clear: On November 22, 2025, the Fighting Irish didn’t just win—they authored a masterpiece of domination. For Syracuse, it’s back to the drawing board. For the Irish? The playoff dreams burn brighter than ever.

Go Irish!