Final2026 home opener · Notre Dame Stadium

Notre Dame vs. Rice

A monster opening hit, a defensive touchdown 14 seconds into the game, and a 52–0 celebration beneath perfect September skies.

Home team

Notre Dame

Record 2–0

FinalFinalNBC · Peacock

Opponent

Rice

Record 1–1

Final verified: September 13, 2026 · 11:03 AM CT. Final score and statistics were checked against Notre Dame’s official recap and box score, then cross-checked with the Associated Press recap.

Official recap ↗Watch highlights ↗

The story of the day

A monster hit starts a 52–0 home-opening celebration

Adon Shuler forced a fumble on Rice’s second play, Boubacar Traore returned it 24 yards for a touchdown, and Notre Dame never let the afternoon become competitive. The Irish led 42–0 at halftime, finished with a 478–128 advantage in total offense, and completed their first home Saturday of 2026 with a shutout.

Some games slowly reveal their shape. This one announced itself before most of the crowd had settled in. Shuler’s collision, Traore’s scoop, and the immediate roar gave the Irish the lead just 14 seconds after kickoff. From there, the offense played with freedom, the defense attacked the football, and an already beautiful afternoon became a celebration.

Score by quarter

Notre Dame scored 42 points before halftime and protected the shutout through the final whistle.

Team statistics

Final box-score totals. The official Notre Dame record controls if a figure is later corrected.

Category	Notre Dame	Rice

How the game unfolded

From the pregame tour to the first hit and the final shutout, these moments preserve the full arc of Notre Dame’s home opener.

A day made for Notre Dame football

Warm sunshine, blue skies, and a packed stadium gave the home opener the atmosphere every first-time visitor hopes to find.

Notre Dame Stadium filled with fans beneath blue skies before the Rice game — **The view before kickoff:** a full Notre Dame Stadium beneath the kind of September sky that makes the entire campus feel electric. Photo courtesy of Matt Owen.

The home opener, from campus to the final whistle

Captured in chronological order, the day begins with a campus tour, moves through a first visit to Notre Dame Stadium, and ends with postgame smiles after a 52–0 win.

Matt and a first-time visitor beside the flower beds with the Golden Dome behind them — The Golden Dome and flower beds begin a first visitor’s Notre Dame story.

Matt and his guest smiling in front of the Main Building and Golden Dome — A sunny stop at the Main Building—one of the essential campus views.

Matt and his guest at Clarke Memorial Fountain on a sunny gameday — Clarke Memorial Fountain offers another pause along the gameday walk.

Matt and his guest with the Word of Life mural visible behind them — No first visit is complete without the view fans know as Touchdown Jesus.

American and Vatican flags flying outside Notre Dame Stadium beneath blue skies — The flags and the west side of the stadium frame the approach to kickoff.

Matt and his guest seated inside Notre Dame Stadium before the Rice game — Inside the stadium at last: a first-game memory before the opening kick.

A first-time visitor completing a certificate at a Notre Dame Stadium guest services desk — Guest Services turns a first visit into something official.

A young Notre Dame fan holding a First Game Certificate inside Notre Dame Stadium — The First Game Certificate becomes a keepsake from the day.

Notre Dame Stadium display honoring the university’s Heisman Trophy winners — The stadium concourse connects today’s team to Notre Dame’s Heisman legacy.

Notre Dame Stadium plaques honoring national championship teams including 1988 — National championship teams—including Lou Holtz’s 1988 champions—line the concourse.

Fans walking through the brick and steel concourse inside Notre Dame Stadium — The concourse begins to fill as the crowd moves toward its seats.

The field and goalposts inside Notre Dame Stadium before kickoff against Rice — The field waits beneath blue skies before the home opener.

A packed Notre Dame Stadium crowd with the American flag on the video board — The crowd stands together as the flag fills the video board.

Notre Dame Stadium field and goalposts moments before the Rice game — The stadium is full, the field is ready, and the home season is about to begin.

Notre Dame flags, cheerleaders, and the leprechaun leading the team entrance — The flags lead the way as Notre Dame takes the field.

Matt and his guest smiling in Notre Dame Stadium late in the 52-0 victory — Postgame smiles after a first visit—and a 52–0 Irish victory.

Photos courtesy of Matt Owen · Notre Dame campus and Notre Dame Stadium · September 12, 2026

Stat leaders

CJ Carr threw four touchdowns, twelve Irish players caught passes, and the depth chart took over in the second half.

Why this game matters

A home opener can set a season’s emotional tone. Notre Dame made its intentions clear immediately.

Fourteen seconds

The defense makes the first statement

Shuler’s hit and Traore’s scoop-and-score produced the winning points before Notre Dame’s offense touched the ball.

Complete control

42–0 at halftime

The Irish turned three first-half Rice turnovers into 21 points and removed every trace of suspense before intermission.

A historic streak

Twelve straight by double digits

Notre Dame’s winning streak reached twelve games, all by at least ten points—a run matched in program history only by Knute Rockne’s teams of 1921–22.

Continue the story

Official statistics, Notre Dame’s recap and highlights, and national coverage remain available at their original sources.

How this page was built

The final score, statistics, and scoring chronology were checked against Notre Dame’s official recap and box score, then cross-checked with the Associated Press report. Matt’s firsthand account and supplied photographs are clearly identified. If a statistic is corrected, rely on the official final statistics.

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