Notre Dame defense on dubious pace in first 3 games under Chris Ash
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Notre Dame won a football game on Saturday night, and for Fighting Irish fans fuming after 2 losses to open the season, that alone was definitely worth a lot.
The offense exploded, producing 539 total yards, and the Irish cruised to a weather-delayed 56-30 victory over Purdue in South Bend. Notre Dame improved to 1-2 after those losses to Miami and Texas A&M, and there was something for the Fighting Irish to hang their hat on in 2025.
But a closer look at Saturday’s victory told a different story — or, maybe, the same old story to this early season. With new defensive coordinator Chris Ash at the helm, Notre Dame’s defense continued to give up points at a pace only seen during 2 of the worst seasons in program history. With those 30 points allowed on Saturday, the Irish defense has now given up 98 points in the first 3 games of the season.
They allowed 27 to Miami in the season opener before being shredded for 41 points in the last-second loss to Texas A&M. Add those 30 points in Week 4 and you get 98, which is only 4 off the record 102 points allowed in the first 3 games of the 2007 season. Third on this dubious list is the 2016 Notre Dame team that allowed 96 points in its first 3 games.
For a 2025 Fighting Irish team with such high expectations, this company isn’t good company. For historical purposes, Notre Dame went just 3-9 in that 2007 season and just 4-8 in that 2016 season, so if this year’s edition wants to go anywhere, it’ll likely have to start stopping people and get off this alarming pace with allowing points.
Notre Dame will head to SEC country in Week 5 with a matchup at Arkansas, with kickoff at noon ET on ABC. Ash’s beleaguered defense will once again be under the microscope against the Razorbacks.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
