No. 3 Notre Dame Visits Purdue for Shillelagh Trophy Clash on Peacock

OriginalGlobal Sportscast deskSep 26, 2026 · 08:01 UTC

The short version

No. 3 Notre Dame (3-0) visits Purdue (1-2) on Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. ET at Ross-Ade Stadium, streaming on Peacock.
Notre Dame is a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 58.5.
Purdue QB Ryan Browne leads the nation's No. 2 passing offense; Notre Dame allows just 193 yards per game, No. 2 nationally.
Purdue's defense gives up 528 yards per game and has zero takeaways; Notre Dame has nine takeaways and no giveaways.

The 3-0 Fighting Irish bring the nation's second-ranked defense to Ross-Ade Stadium to face a 1-2 Purdue team with a potent passing attack but major defensive concerns.

No. 3 Notre Dame puts its unbeaten record on the line Saturday, Sept. 26, when the Fighting Irish visit Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET, and the winner takes home the Shillelagh Trophy. The Irish enter at 3-0 while the Boilermakers sit at 1-2.

Viewers can stream the game exclusively on Peacock. Radio coverage is available on 96.5 FM in Lafayette, 1260 AM in Indianapolis, and on SiriusXM channels 85 and 232 carrying the Purdue feed.

Purdue's offense has been productive through three games behind quarterback Ryan Browne, who leads the country's No. 2 passing attack. Browne has completed 73.3% of his throws for 1,024 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception. Running back Fame Ijeboi has added 248 rushing yards at 4.5 per carry with four scores, and Asaad Waseem leads the receivers with 20 catches for 321 yards and a touchdown.

The Boilermakers' problems have come on the other side of the ball. Purdue is allowing 528 total yards per game, including 277.5 on the ground, numbers that rank among the worst in the nation. The defense has also failed to force a single takeaway this season, and defensive back Mister Clark missed last week's game against UCLA.

Notre Dame counters with quarterback CJ Carr, projected as an early draft pick, who has completed 72.6% of his passes for 726 yards and six touchdowns. Receivers Micah Gilbert and Jordan Faison have 13 catches each and have combined for three scores, while Nolan James Jr. and Aneyas Williams have run for three touchdowns apiece.

The Irish defense has been dominant, allowing just 193 yards per game, the second-best mark nationally. Notre Dame has protected the football with zero giveaways while forcing nine takeaways, a turnover margin that looms large against a Purdue team still searching for its first.

Oddsmakers see a lopsided matchup. BetMGM lists Notre Dame as a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 58.5 points, and the moneyline sits at Purdue +1900 and Notre Dame -5000. Forecasters expect partly cloudy skies with a high in the low 70s in West Lafayette.

Pundits are unanimous in picking the Irish, though the margins vary. Predictions include Notre Dame 38-14 (Sam King, Journal & Courier), 41-17 (Nathan Baird, IndyStar), 45-21 (Aaron Ferguson, IndyStar), 55-15 (Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune), 44-14 (Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune), and 31-3 (Austin Hough, South Bend Tribune).

Purdue opened the season with a 44-19 win over Indiana State before dropping a double-overtime thriller to Wake Forest, 38-36, and falling to UCLA, 52-38. Notre Dame, meanwhile, is riding a long winning streak dating to a September 2025 loss to Texas A&M and is coming off a win over Michigan State. After this contest, Purdue travels to Illinois on Oct. 3.

Notre Dame and Purdue meet Saturday, September 26 at 2:00 PM EDT at Ross-Ade Stadium, streaming on Peacock.