Prediction, tip, spread, odds for the football game Notre Dame vs. Purdue, where to watch, TV channel, live stream

No. 18 Notre Dame faces another tough test when it travels to face a hungry Purdue team on Saturday. The Fighting Irish suffered one of the worst losses in program history in Week 2 when Northern Illinois kicked a game-winning field goal with 31 seconds left. The loss to the Huskies gave Notre Dame the dubious honor of becoming the first-ever AP top-five team to lose to a MAC opponent.

Purdue has played just one game, a 49-0 victory over Indiana State, but the Boilermakers appeared to be safe. Quarterback Hudson Card completed 24 of 25 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns, setting the FBS record for the highest pass completion rate in at least 20 attempts.

Notre Dame and Purdue played each other annually from 1946 to 2014, but have only played each other once since then. The Fighting Irish own a dominant 57-26-2 record, including six straight wins. In the last meeting in 2021, Irish wide receiver Avery Davis rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown, tying then-coach Brian Kelly and Knute Rockne for the most all-time wins.

Notre Dame vs. Purdue: What you need to know

Historic loss: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman has a respectable 8-4 record against higher-ranked opponents during his time with the Irish, even scaring Ohio State last season. Unfortunately, his teams have also been marked by disappointments. Last week, Notre Dame lost to Northern Illinois as a 28-point favorite. To make matters worse, the Irish have lost three home games as 14-point favorites, the most of any program in college football since Freeman was hired in 2022. Notre Dame can be beat.

Big side issue: Purdue coach Ryan Walters is a defensive backs coach by trade, and his special unit has quietly begun to amass talent. Safety Dylan Thieneman was perhaps the best freshman in college football last season, earning All-America honors with six interceptions, eight passes defensed and 106 tackles. Star freshman Tarrion Grant teams up with Ole Miss transfer Markevious Brown to man the corner positions. Georgia transfer Nyland Green was not on the roster due to injury, but could also be another key piece for Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard's defense. The unit is still growing, but it's brimming with potential.

Map vs. Watt: Purdue quarterback Hudson Card set an FBS completion percentage record against Indiana State and is a potential breakout player in his sophomore year. Notre Dame's secondary, led by All-American safety Xavier Watts, will have a say, though. In their 23-13 win over Texas A&M, the Irish held Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman to a horrific 12 of 30 passes for 100 yards and two interceptions. Card will pose more of a challenge, but the secondary can make life difficult for him.

How to watch Notre Dame vs Purdue live

Date: Saturday, September 14th | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ross-Ade Stadium – West Lafayette, Indiana

TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (free trial)

Notre Dame vs. Purdue Prediction, Tips

Many successful coaching careers at Purdue have been capped by historic victories over Notre Dame, and this certainly seems like a fallible version. If the Boilermakers can protect quarterback Hudson Card, he's one of the best quarterbacks the Fighting Irish will defend this season. Notre Dame will secure a win, but Purdue will give the Irish their best. Selection: Purdue +10.5

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