What Notre Dame Must Do to Beat Arkansas

Notre Dame and Arkansas both had high hopes entering the 2025 season. Fast forward just a few weeks into the schedule, and rather than one or both of these teams sitting in a prime playoff position, both teams' seasons are hanging by a thread with two losses and are looking for answers.

The winner of this matinee in Fayetteville extends hope for a relatively successful season.

The loser will be looking at three losses before the calendar even turns to October, placing a cloud of doubt around the entire program. Let's get into some of the key factors that will determine the outcome of this Independent vs SEC battle.

Keys for the Irsh to Take Down the Razorbacks

Points, points, and more points

Both Notre Dame and Arkansas can move the football and score points. Both have questions defensively. As much as I'd like to write about a "lockdown" Notre Dame defense, I cannot, given the struggles the Irish have had on that side of the ball thus far in 2025.

In this game, points are at a premium. Whichever team can sustain drives and put up sevens and not threes has a great chance to win this affair. Mike Denbrock vs Bobby Petrino is a fantastic high-level offensive mind showdown. Defensively, whichever side can limit huge chunk plays is likely to emerge victorious.

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) warms up before a NCAA football game against Texas A&M at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will the Irish or Razorbacks win the turnover battle?

Given the likelihood that both of these teams will surrender plenty of yards and points, turnovers, already a key component of any game, may play even a more critical role in determining the outcome. Whichever side can gain an extra possession or two may have the winning edge.

Can the Irish defense cause some pressure this week and set up CJ Carr and the Irish offense with some short fields to navigate? The answer to this question could determine the outcome of the ballgame.

Sep 20, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Dallas Golden (14) celebrates an interception against the Purdue Boilermakers in the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Will Notre Dame or Arkansas limit costly penalties?

In a game expected to be high scoring, with an over-under Vegas point total in the mid-sixties, limiting penalties will be key to securing a victory. Offensively, neither team can afford to commit sloppy penalties that put them off schedule and behind the chains offensively.

Defensively speaking, neither side can afford costly penalties that extend drives for the opponent. Whichever side can play good, clean defense and force a handful of stops, even in scoring drives that end in threes and not sevens, could be primed for a must-needed victory.

This ballgame is the ultimate tipping point for both teams as they look to maintain hope for a decent record this year and avoid a brutal third loss. From the Irish side specifically, there's hope that game four will be the one where the Ash defense "clicks", and this unit plays more like how Irish fans have come to expect in recent years.

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