Here's the five stars from Notre Dame's 52-0 blowout of Rice

Here's the five stars from Notre Dame's 52-0 blowout of Rice

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Here's the five stars from Notre Dame's 52-0 blowout of Rice

No. 4 Notre Dame rolled over the Rice Owls, 52-0, in the season's home opener for the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame avoids the trap of falling to a heavy underdog early in the season, as it has in previous years. Instead, the coaches had the chance to get depth players game action, and the Irish should be well set up as the schedule gets harder going forward.

With a win like that, there are plenty of stars — we have our top five stars below.

5 ⭐️ – Defense

Sep 12, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Boubacar Traore (5) celebrates scoring with defensive lineman Armel Mukam (88) against the Rice Owls during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Notre Dame took the ball away four times as Rice struggled to hold on to the ball. Some fumbles were forced, some were not, but Notre Dame defenders hopped on four of them, including a Boubacar Traore scoop and score early.

4 ⭐️ – Jordan Faison

Apr 25, 2026; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Jordan Faison (6) runs with the ball during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Quarterback CJ Carr's favorite target took over the game early with twotouchdowns. He had just four catches for 54 yards, but he was far more productive than the numbers indicate.

3 ⭐️ – CJ Carr

Sep 6, 2026; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) drops back to pass against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

His completion and yardage numbers weren't eye-popping, but he was surgically precise and directed the offense well. Oh, and he did have four touchdowns. There will be games later this season where Carr will truly need to take over, but today he was able to simply operate with efficiency before earning some time off for the remainder of the game. Sixteen-of-20 passing, 253 yards, and four touchdowns will play.

2 ⭐️ – Nolan James

Apr 12, 2025; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Nolan James Jr. (23) runs the ball during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

James, the backup running back, got to showcase his skills since the early lead led Notre Dame coaches to mostly rest starter Aneyas Williams. Williams didn't play poorly — his numbers look pedestrian he was resting so the coaches could take a longer look at James. And James delivered twotouchdowns.

1 ⭐️ – Boubacar Traore

Notre Dame defensive lineman Jordan Botelho (12) and defensive lineman Boubacar Traore (5) celebrate getting a stop during the first half of a NCAA football game against Purdue at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in South Bend.

Defensive line Traore's fumble recovery for a touchdown just 14 seconds into the game set the tone and sparked the Irish. If Rice ever had a shot to challenge the Irish with its novelty offense, Traore snuffed it out before even a minute was played.

Honorable Mention – Jerome Bettis Jr.

Notre Dame wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr. (15), cornerback Cree Thomas (20) and others celebrate after winning a NCAA football game 49-10 against Navy at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in South Bend.

Bettis Jr. probably would've been the final star if not for the Traore touchdown. His two catches for 61 yards, including a long for 56, had little bearing on the game but gave Irish fans an exciting glimpse of the future.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Here's the five stars from Notre Dame's 52-0 blowout of Rice

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