Notre Dame Needs a Win: Can They Pull It Off at Arkansas?

Notre Dame (1-2) travels to Arkansas (2-2) for the first time this Saturday for a game it must have.

A win means Notre Dame’s dreams of turning around from a rough 0-2 start and reaching the College Football Playoff remain alive.

A loss would mean the Pop-Tarts Bowl or something similar is a given.

For Arkansas, a heartbreaking loss at Memphis last week leaves a bad taste. Head coach Sam Pittman is feeling the heat, and nothing would cool those pressures quite like knocking off mighty Notre Dame.

What happens Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville?

Here’s what the Notre Dame On SI staff sees happening.

Notre Dame 38, Arkansas 34 - Jared Shlensky

Both teams can score, but both defenses are far from good. However, Notre Dame is the better team and will win. I wouldn’t be surprised if Arkansas scores a garbage time touchdown like Purdue did last week to make the game look closer than it actually is, but even on the road in a hostile environment like Arkansas, ND is the right play. CJ Carr and the Fighting Irish offense have gotten better each week, and I expect that to carry over on Saturday with its best offensive performance on Saturday.

Notre Dame 38, Arkansas 20 - Nathan Erbach

It’s not going to be a game where we say Notre Dame is fully back, but it will be a step in the right direction for the defense. Devonta Smith should be back in the Irish secondary, which is an added boost, and the defensive line is close to breaking out. Arkansas has a talented quarterback who can give you fits if you give him time, but he’s also shown he will give the defense the ball at times as well.

On defense, Arkansas has had a hard time stopping opponents, but Quincy Rhodes Jr. is a game wrecker and someone to watch with 7 TFLs and 5 sacks already on the season. At the end of the day, Notre Dame lost both those first two games by a total of four points, and there are arguments to be made that it should have won both despite the defensive miscues. CJ Carr and the Irish offense will be too much to overcome, and they pull away in the second half.

Notre Dame 38, Arkansas 27 - Mason Plummer

Yes, Notre Dame’s defense has been terrible but somehow Arkansas’ might be worse. This is set to be a high-scoring affair but I trust Marcus Freeman to get it turned around more than Sam Pittman.

The Fighting Irish run all over the Razorbacks with Love and Price both eclipsing 100 yards. Notre Dame moves to 2-2.

Notre Dame 42, Arkansas 35 - John Kennedy

Both Notre Dame and Arkansas have major concerns entering this ballgame. On the Irish side, there's an ongoing defensive existential crisis. On Arkansas' side, rumors of HC Sam Pittman being fired, and OC and motorcycle enthusiast Bobby Petrino looking to steal his seat have dominated the headlines heading into the game.

Both of these teams play poor defense and good offense. I expect a high-scoring affair in which Notre Dame's ground game ends up scoring enough and controlling the clock just enough to squeeze out a win. This will not be pretty, and I don't trust the Notre Dame defense at all, but give me the Irish.

Notre Dame 52, Arkansas 27 - Jeff Feyerer

I have NO DOUBT C.J. Carr and the Irish offense will put up points. Memphis ran all over the Razorbacks defense last week with quarterback Brandon Lewis and running back Sutton Smith. No knock to that duo, but I’d rather have Carr, Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and the Irish offense and think that group can run roughshod.

But who knows with the Irish defense. I’ve given up trying to figure out this ugly transformation. Arkansas has already committed six turnovers this season and I expect at least two more in this matchup, but stopping the opposing offense instead of praying you can force mistakes seems like a healthier strategy. I just don’t know if we’re going to see it. Yet.

Notre Dame 41, Arkansas 34 - Pete Fiutak

Notre Dame will run wild, Arkansas will crank up a ton of points, neither defense will do enough to slow the respective offensive machines, and a good time will be had by all. But if we’ve learned anything about Arkansas over the first part of the year, it’ll find a way to blow it.

The Irish will have something to do with that. Notre Dame will win, the total will go over with ease, everyone will complain about the defense, and repeat that for every game for the rest of the 2025 regular season.

Notre Dame 27, Arkansas 24 - Nick Shepkowski

A wise man once said, "If the over is obvious, then obviously don't bet it" and that's my suggestion for you. Call it blind faith, call it me being overly optimistic, call it whatever you want, but Notre Dame's defense as well as its defensive coaching staff has too much talent to keep performing as poorly as it has. Notre Dame runs the ball at will but fails to finish a couple of drives, which keeps this one close, but it's still enough to walk out with a win and be sitting at 2-2.