The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2026 Edition

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: Jordan Faison #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish catches a touchdown pass against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium on November 07, 2026 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The playoff fight now begins. Miami traveled to South Bend to face off against Notre Dame, and lost 31-24. This is Miami's first loss of the season, and now makes the path to the playoffs a bit more arduous.

Craig T. Smith has your recap from the bitter loss.

RECAP: Miami loses 1st game of the year, fall to Notre Dame 31-24 https://t.co/1Izp4jLQse

- StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) November 8, 2026

Mike Schiffman has your 3 stars.

3 stars: Miami at Notre Dame https://t.co/rfXLqESndG

- StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) November 8, 2026

And now, let's get into The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

• QB Darian Mensah. Gotta put him somewhere, guys, and this doesn't mean I think he was perfect. Far from it. Still, I'd classify his performance more here than other places (though, there are moments that I excoriate later in this piece). 24/43 passing (55.8% completions) for 276 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, and 11 carries for 28 yards rushing.
• Mensah's cumulative stats: 211/276 passing, 76.4% completions, 2,701 yards, 28 touchdowns, 2 interception, 35 carries, 137 yards, 2 touchdowns.
• WR Cooper Barkate. Reminded y'all how good he is. 10 catches for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns
• TE Elija Lofton. 7 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
• RB Mark Fletcher Jr. 13 carries for 57 yards and 1 catch for 4 yards.
• LB Mo Toure. 12 tackles including a couple of HUGE run stops on 3rd downs.
• LB Chase Smith. 8 tackles and a QB hurry.
• LB Kamal Bonner. 6 tackles and some really nice plays in his first extended action since he transferred here last year.
• P Dylan Joyce. 43.8 yard average on 5 kicks.
• K Jake Weinberg. 1/1 on FGs and 100% touchbacks on kickoffs again.
• Holding Notre Dame to a field goal on their first drive. Nice stops on 2nd and 3rd down ended the momentum.
• This stop by S J.J. Dunnigan was instrumental to getting that stop for a FG.

JJ Dunnigan with nice tackle pic.twitter.com/tQP6PadO8g

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• A great punt by Dylan Joyce, and the best punt coverage tackle this year by LB Cam Bobby" Pruitt.

Cam Pruitt with the tackle plus holding on ND pic.twitter.com/DxRDk1tc3L

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• Nice blitz by Chase Smith on 3rd down to end Notre Dame's 2nd drive.

Chase Smith with the qb pressure

ND forced to punt pic.twitter.com/NGGMLdtCxg

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• K Jake Weinberg hit a 19yd FG to get Miami on the board.
• Good stop by the defense on the drive after Miami's FG to force a punt after 5 plays.
• Mensah to Lofton 12 yard touchdown to finally find the endzone midway through the 3rd.

Get up there 9

: NBC pic.twitter.com/tBtlEJWKD8

- Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) November 8, 2026

• REALLY GOOD tackle in space on a swing screen by LB Kamal Bonner.

Good tackle by Bonner pic.twitter.com/ghUO1GpJFJ

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• Miami forced the first 3 and out of the game with this PBU by CB Damari Brown on the next play!

DAMARI WITH THE PASS BREAK UP!!! pic.twitter.com/PmyFIdE5bu

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• Touchdown Hurricanes! Darian Mensah to Cooper Barkate for a 12 yard touchdown and we have a ballgame!

Spidacoop to the rescue

: NBC pic.twitter.com/c0KYK1kI0x

- Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) November 8, 2026

• And Miami forces another 3 and out on the ensuing drive! This run stop by Toure on 3rd down was massive and got us the ball back!

What is Absher doing??? This should be a combo between Center and RG to Toure. Missed assignment and that's a big time mistake pic.twitter.com/yKvAz4qeKz

- LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) November 8, 2026

• Another Mensah to Barkate touchdown brings Miami back within a touchdown

COOPER BARKATE BEATS CHRISTIAN GREY pic.twitter.com/HCBFMdsoPa

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• Mensah to Lofton on a broken/extended play gains 41 to put Miami in prime scoring position, down a touchdown late in the 4th quarter
• 276 yards passing
• 11.5 yards per completion
• 101 yards rushing
• 3.6 yards per carry
• 22 first downs
• 6/14 on 3rd down
• 4/5 redzone scoring - 3 TDs, 1 FG
• 10 chunk plays - 7 passes (15+), 3 runs (10+)
• Allowed 93 yards rushing
• Allowed 3.2 yards per carry
• Allowed 5/15 on 3rd down

The Bad

• Losing. It fucking sucks and I hate it.
• Going away from the run game early. I thought we were rolling, but didn't stick with it.
• Allowing a 4th down conversion at midfield on the first defensive drive of the game.
• Pass rush not being able to get home vs. Carr. This is something they've struggled with all season.
• Getting pushed around up front and a DT batting down a 3rd down pass late in the 2nd quarter.
• Mensah missed a few throws today. Yes, he was pressured, but also just missed some. Had a touchdown to Jacobs up the sideline early in the 4th quarter and it was very late and woefully underthrown.
• 1/2 on 4th down
• An even time of possession. 29:05 for Miami, 30:55 for Notre Dame
• This was much the same as last week vs. Carolina, and 4 minutes under Miami's average for the year
• Allowed 5 TFLs
• Allowed 2 sacks
• Allowed 3.2 yards per carry
• Advanced Stats show a close game, but one where Miami came up short. It tracks.

The Ugly

• Losing. Seriously, it FUCKING HATE IT.
• Losing to NOTRE DAME.
• Seriously, the only teams worse to lose to than these pompous assholes are Ohio State and Florida, in that order. Can't STAND those bastards.
• Another week allowing an opposing QB to do numbers against the defense.
• Another week with little to no pressure from the pass rush, linemen only or blitz package. Regardless of the scheme, it didn't get home.
• Season-low 377 yards of offense (1 yard less than the Wake Forest game, which was a blowout and then all that weird stuff happened)
• 2 fumbles (1 recovered, 1 lost)
• TECHNICALLY the final play was a fumble by Barkate on the lateral attempt recovered by Notre Dame, for those wondering about the accounting here
• Only 2 TFLs
• 0 sacks
• Lost the turnover battle 2-0
• Allowed 3/3 redzone scoring
• That turnover and the ensuing touchdown were the difference in this game. That hurts.
• Allowed 412 yards of offense
• Allowed 319 yards passing
• Allowed 6.0 yards per play
• Allowed 11 yards per completion
• Allowed 2/2 on 4th down
• Allowed 21 first downs
• Allowed 30:55 time of possession
• 5 penalties for 31 yards.
• Offsides, Armondo Blount. Negated a TFL.
• Not blocking ND's star DE on the first 3rd down of the game. Fletcher had no shot on the play, and was immediately tackled for loss. Miami's drive stalled and the Canes punted.

Miami's OL leaves Traore unblocked on 3rd down pic.twitter.com/Z0o2curI6j

- LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) November 8, 2026

• More missed tackles.

3 missed tackles pic.twitter.com/RRzIneYYZ3

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• Illegal block in the back on ND uncalled on the last play of the 1st quarter. Allowed them to gain 26 yards, because the block sprung the play. No call. Cool.
• DB Bryce Fitzgerald getting beat for a touchdown. Took a perfect throw, but still. Miami went down 10-0 with the play.
• On the ensuing kickoff, holding, Cam Pruitt.
• On this same drive, 6 plays inside the 5 and settling for a FG. That's not good enough.
• Offsides with contact, Justin Scott. Gifted Notre Dame a 1st down on 3rd and 2.
• Armondo Blount jumped offside at the hard count on the same play. Spared the flag because Scott's penalty was worse.
• Offsides, Marquise Lightfoot. Declined with a completion for 22.
• Holding, SJ Alofaituli. 1st play of the 2nd half.
• This.

KVA sacks Mensah on 3rd down pic.twitter.com/tgJhmXxwg2

- LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) November 8, 2026

• Allowed a 56 yard punt return to open the 2nd half. ND started on the Miami 30.
• QB Darian Mensah threw his 2nd interception of the year on an out route toward Lofton. Miami was making a comeback push after consecutive touchdowns on offense and 3-and-outs on defense. Notre Dame extended the lead to 31-17 on the ensuing drive after this pick.

Notre Dame's Luke Talich makes a CRUCIAL interception to stop the bleeding for the Irish.

It's just the second INT of the season for Miami QB Darian Mensah. pic.twitter.com/HwTrYUBNRS

- Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) November 8, 2026

• This fan's reaction to the interception above was all of us in the moment, and an instant meme. This is Michigan surrender cobra level stuff. An all-timer and we all knew it the moment we saw it.

Dying at the reaction to the interception by this Miami fan. pic.twitter.com/vayR0Pem3h

- Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 8, 2026

• Miami having a miscommunication with coverage on 4th down, allowing the RB wheel route to be wide open to covert and gain 33 yards.
• DB Damari Brown not staying down after the play when hurt. He got up and tried to stay in the game, but then went down. Because he did that after the ball was spotted, Miami was assessed a timeout. In the 4th quarter of a game with these stakes and circumstances, that timeout could be crucial.
• Facemask, Justin Scott. Give Notre Dame 1st and goal instead of 4th and goal. Irish scored a touchdown on the next play.
• Miscommunication on a huge 3rd down. Multiple guys go with the crosser, nobody went with the RB on a wheel route. Backbreaker.

James left wide open pic.twitter.com/FlXdVfrlPO

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• Notre Dame committed a clear DPI on Daylyn Upshaw on 3rd and goal. They held his arms as he went up to attempt a leaping catch. No call. REALLY terrible, but that's what happens when you leave it up to the refs.

NO Flag pic.twitter.com/GU1JDWrZTd

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• The next play, the would-be tying and potentially go-ahead touchdown catch by Elija Lofton ruled incomplete. It's the right call because the rules say you have to complete the catch through contact. It's just ugly because we needed this so so so badly.

TD OR NO?!?!?!! pic.twitter.com/gOEHWVUDDd

- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) November 8, 2026

• Mensah getting sacked/taking a sack on the 1st play of the last drive. Need a touchdown, no timeouts. You CANNOT take a sack there my guy.
• Notre Dame CLEARLY targeting Mensah on the 3rd down play 2 plays after the previous bullet point. Crown of the helmet to Mensah's helmet by the defender. No call. THEN not called after review. Absolute bullshit.
• Let me be clear here: Miami lost. There were bad calls that happened. Those calls did not cost Miami this game.

Team GradesOffense: C-

The first half gameplan was very 17 year old true freshman QB starting his first game" vibes to me. VERY tight and conservative in moments where some air, space, levity, SOMETHING was needed. The offensive line was terrible tonight. Mensah did his best to overcome the constant pressure, but it took until after halftime to get any rhythm going. Settling for 3 points after 5 plays inside the 5 was a killer. And yes, the absence of Malachi Toney is massive, but Miami is better than they showed offensively for the majority of this game. I liked the rhythm in the 2nd half, but the interception was an absolute killer, and the points Notre Dame scored from it were the margin of victory. And yes, I know this is the best team we'll play this regular season. But I still needed more from the offense.

Defense: C-

Pass defense still has issues, but Miami finally started to look competent on that side of the ball again. They forced multiple 3 and outs, and played with a physicality that had been lacking recently. There were still penalties and missed tackles and communication issues, and plenty of points allowed, but there were signs that this defense can do enough for Miami to win. Not today obviously, but moving forward. I just hate that it had to get to 24-3 for them to show up.

Special Teams: D

Punting was good, but punt coverage allowed a 56 yard return. Kicker made his FG, and was perfect on PATs and kickoffs. There was another penalty on specials giving Miami terrible field position. One step forward, two steps back for this unit.

Coaching: D

Another game where it seemed like Miami was not ready to meet the moment. Notre Dame was fully keyed up heading into this game, the stadium was raucous and fans at a fever pitch.....and Miami was just there. Shannon Dawson didn't have a good gameplan without Malachi Toney, and it took until the 2nd half to really start cooking. Corey Hetherman's performance was much the same. And Mario Cristobal went BALLSITIC on the refs at the end over the Lofton no TD play, but that's a badge of honor in my eyes. Still, it took Miami going down 24-3 for them to get things going in the right direction. The team looked as though they were neither ready nor prepared for this game. Missing 1 player, even someone as good as Malachi Toney, cannot have that result.

Got punched in the face. Time to get back up off the mat and work. But that doesn't mean I can't be critical about things...and I am.

That's it for this installment of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Hop in the comments and share your thoughts.

Go Canes