It wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. On November 22, 2025, at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish didn’t just beat the Syracuse Orange — they erased them. The final score: 70-7. The crowd: 77,622. The time: 3 hours and 5 minutes. And the man who made it all look effortless? Running back Jeremiyah Love, who scored three touchdowns in a performance that turned heads across the college football world.
A Defense That Came Out Swinging
Before the Fighting Irish offense even snapped a ball, the game was already over. Notre Dame’s defense and special teams combined for 21 points in the first 10 minutes — two interception returns for touchdowns, and a blocked punt recovered and returned for another score. It was the kind of start that doesn’t just demoralize an opponent — it breaks them. Syracuse’s offense never recovered. Not even close.
When the Irish finally got the ball at the 7:08 mark of the first quarter, Love took the handoff on the second play and sprinted 45 yards into the end zone. By the time the first quarter ended, Notre Dame had already piled up 35 points. The Orange had zero. Their first two possessions? Three plays, six yards total. The second? Three plays, negative nine yards. They held the ball for less than two minutes combined.
Love’s Night, and the Weight of History
Jeremiyah Love finished with 142 rushing yards and three touchdowns — two on the ground, one on a screen pass. He wasn’t just efficient; he was surgical. Every carry felt like a declaration. This wasn’t just about stats. It was about momentum. For a team that started the season 0-2, this win marked their ninth straight — a run that now has them firmly in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.
Meanwhile, Syracuse’s 70-point loss was historic. The last time they allowed 70 or more? November 7, 1891 — against Union College. That’s 134 years. And in that time, the program has seen dynasties rise and fall, conferences realign, and entire generations of players come and go. To be on the wrong end of that kind of number again? It’s not just embarrassing. It’s a symbol of how far they’ve fallen.
The Rebuilding Reality in Syracuse
Head coach Fran Brown, in his first season at Syracuse University, didn’t make excuses. After the game, he said, “That’s part of the game for us right now. That’s where we are in our building of our program.”
Those words weren’t defeatist. They were honest. And they carried weight. Since 2021, Syracuse has won just 13 games. Seven straight losses heading into this game. A roster filled with transfers and freshmen trying to find their footing. The talent gap between them and a top-10 team like Notre Dame wasn’t just wide — it was chasmic. And Saturday laid it bare.
Notre Dame, by contrast, is built for the long haul. A national brand. A tradition of excellence. A defense that plays like a well-oiled machine. They’re not just chasing a playoff spot — they’re positioning themselves to win it all. And they showed it on Saturday: precision, power, and poise.
What This Means for Both Programs
For Notre Dame, this win improves their record to 9-2. With one regular-season game left — against USC — they’re likely to finish 10-2. That’s playoff territory. Even if they don’t make the four-team field, a 10-win season with a top-10 ranking and a dominant win over a conference rival is the kind of resume that attracts recruits, boosts donations, and silences critics.
For Syracuse? The road ahead is brutal. Their final game is against Wake Forest — a team they’ve beaten in each of the last two seasons. But even a win there won’t erase what happened on Saturday. They’re now 3-8. Bowl eligibility? Unlikely. And the questions will only grow louder: Is Fran Brown the right man for the job? Can this program ever return to relevance?
The answer won’t come this season. But the signs are there. The recruits aren’t flowing in. The depth is thin. The defense can’t stop anyone. And the culture? It’s still being rebuilt — one painful loss at a time.
The Bigger Picture
This game wasn’t just about two teams playing football. It was about what college football has become: a two-tier system. On one side, programs like Notre Dame with billion-dollar TV deals, elite coaching staffs, and facilities that look like luxury resorts. On the other, schools like Syracuse, still trying to compete with hand-me-down gear and a recruiting budget that barely covers gas money.
And yet — there’s hope. Because even the most broken programs can turn things around. Look at Miami in 2001. Or LSU in 2019. It takes time. It takes patience. And it takes a lot of losses before you get to a win like this one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this loss affect Syracuse’s chances of making a bowl game?
Syracuse is now 3-8, meaning they need at least five wins to become bowl-eligible. With only one game left — against Wake Forest — they’d need to win that and hope for a waiver, which is extremely unlikely. Even a win over Wake Forest wouldn’t be enough under normal NCAA rules. Their postseason hopes are effectively over.
What’s the significance of Jeremiyah Love’s performance for Notre Dame’s playoff chances?
Love’s three-touchdown, 142-yard performance was the exclamation point on a dominant win against a conference opponent. With Notre Dame now 9-2 and having beaten three top-25 teams this season, Love’s emergence as a reliable offensive weapon gives the Irish balance. Playoff committees value dominance — and this game was as dominant as it gets.
Why did Syracuse’s offense struggle so badly?
Syracuse’s offense lacked cohesion, experience, and confidence. Their quarterback, L. Carney, was under constant pressure, and their offensive line was overpowered. They managed just 11 total yards on their first two possessions. With a roster that’s 60% underclassmen and no proven playmakers, they simply didn’t have the tools to compete with a top-10 defense.
How does this compare to other historic blowouts in college football?
While 70-7 isn’t the worst in history — Oklahoma beat Oklahoma State 82-0 in 2018 — it’s one of the most lopsided in recent ACC history. The last time a top-10 team scored 70+ on an ACC opponent was 2016, when Clemson beat Duke 78-0. For Syracuse, it’s their worst loss since 1984, when they lost 72-10 to Penn State.
What’s next for Fran Brown and Syracuse?
Brown’s job isn’t in immediate danger — he was hired to rebuild. But next season’s recruiting class will be critical. If he can’t land a few four-star transfers or high school prospects who can play immediately, the cycle of losing will continue. The university’s athletic budget is shrinking, and fan support is fading. Time is running out.
Is Notre Dame a legitimate College Football Playoff contender now?
Yes. With wins over Clemson, USC, and now Syracuse — combined with their 9-2 record and a top-10 ranking — they’ve checked every box. Their only losses came early against Alabama and Georgia, both top-5 teams. If they beat USC in their final game, they’ll likely be the first team from the ACC (as a football-only member) to make the playoff since 2021.
