The Notre Dame offense had an incredibly low-scoring game at the half against NC State, sitting at only 10 points, before coming back to win the game 36-7. This win pushed the Irish to 13th in the AP Top 25 poll; however, does the offense that took the field in the first half of Saturday deserve that high of a ranking? Today, we grade each offensive position from both the first and second halves and discuss their contribution to the win against the Wolfpack.
Quarterback
To open the game, redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr found early rhythm, only having one costly mistake. Carr was able to spread the ball out well and connected with senior wide receiver Will Pauling two times for gains of 32 and 19 yards, which helped set up junior running back Jeremiyah Love for a 2-yard rushing touchdown. Despite the early 7-0 edge, in the second possession, the offense missed the fourth-and-1 conversion by allowing the Wolfpack defense to sack Carr. The second quarter saw lots of inconsistency and interceptions, with the opening drive having two incompletions to end the series. Although there seemed to be a moment of positivity with a big total of 53 yards to senior tight end Eli Raridon, Carr threw his first interception since the game against Texas A&M. Throughout the end of the half, we saw a dip in accuracy, but consistent aggressiveness that generated explosive plays.
The second half saw moments of rebounds as it started with two incompletions and a struggle to have any rushing yards, before bouncing back to find sophomore wide receiver KK Smith and junior wide receiver Jordan Faison. Carr was better at reading the NC State defense, throwing deep balls to Smith and another touchdown to Pauling. Carr’s fourth quarter was home to significantly less efficiency and poor game management, as he couldn’t finish long drives, was sloppy with incompletions and fumbles and struggled to sustain longer drives. Overall, Carr connected on 19 of 31 passes, passing for 342 total yards and two touchdowns.
First half grade: “C+.” Second half: “B.”
Running backs
After a very quiet first half, the Irish running game exploded in the second half, especially for Love, who rushed a total of 86 yards and scored two touchdowns for the Irish, when the Irish went on their 26-0 scoring run. Junior running back Jadarian Price helped a lot in the second quarter and gained 30 yards for the Irish, but it wasn’t until the second half that the two would properly complement one another to shut down the NC State defense late.
First half grade: “B-.” Second half: “A-.”
Wide receivers
Notre Dame’s wide receivers made the most of their chances mainly during the second half, yet Pauling opened the game with early plays of 32 and 42 yards in the first quarter, finishing with four receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. Smith came alive in the second half, especially in the third quarter, with a 10-yard pass, a 31-yard catch and then a 12-yard touchdown. The two combined for seven catches and 165 yards, displaying the offensive spark the Irish needed.
First half grade: “B.” Second half: “A.”
Tight ends
If anything on Saturday, Notre Dame needed a reliable player, and Raridon was just that. He caught seven passes for 109 yards, leading the team, with the majority of those receptions coming in the first half, when the offense struggled in other positions. Raridon’s longest gain, a 53-yard reception in the second quarter, set up key scoring chances before halftime. Raridon continued to have a strong and consistent game, including a 36-yard grab in the fourth quarter, demonstrating his ability to demand the ball and make smart plays even when pressure gets high.
First half grade: “A.” Second half: “A+.”
