LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jawhar Jordan ran for a career-high 143 yards, scoring on 45- and 21-yard runs on consecutive second-half possessions, and No. 25 Louisville beat No. 10 Notre Dame 33-20 on Saturday night.
Louisville, at 6-0 off to its best start in 10 years, pulled away in a signature victory for first-year coach and former Cardinals great Jeff Brohm before a stadium-record 59,081.
Norte Dame (5-2) lost for the second time in three games. It had won 30 straight games against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents dating to 2017.
The Fighting Irish converted Cam Hart's fumble recovery into a 10-7 lead on Spencer Schrader's 53-yard field goal midway through the third quarter before the Cardinals answered with Brock Travelstead's 44-yarder. Jordan took over from there with explosive runs.
Jordan followed Amari Huggins-Bruce's 19-yard run with a quick burst through the right side before finding another gear near the 20 to elude defenders for the go-ahead score at 17-10. Schrader's 54-yard field goal got Notre Dame to 17-13, but Jordan answered with another big run.
Jordan appeared to hit the hole even faster on his second scoring run early in the fourth, going virtually untouched to make it 24-13.
Notre Dame turned the ball over on downs and Travelstead added his third field goal from 45 yards for the 17-point cushion. He followed with a 35-yarder late in the fourth to seal it. Many of those fans rushed the field at the final gun.
A week after being held to just 36 yards rushing without a TD at North Carolina State, Jordan carried 21 times to top his previous high of 135 yards earlier this season against Murray State.
Jamari Thrash caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jack Plummer on Louisville's first drive set up by Quincy Riley's interception of Sam Hartman's sideline pass. That ended the quarterback's impressive start of 14 touchdowns without a pick and set the tone for a difficult night for him and the Irish (5-2).
Notre Dame was outgained 330-298 with just 44 yards rushing after entering the game averaging 192 per contest. Hartman completed 22 of 38 passes for 254 yards and two TDs, but threw three interceptions and was sacked five times.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Notre Dame figures to drop several spots with a second loss in three games and its worst this season. Louisville should jump a few spots after entering the rankings for the first time this week.
THE TAKEAWAY
Notre Dame: The ground game never got going, essentially making the Irish one dimensional. Hartman was under pressure most of the night in a near-match of his previous visit here last season with Wake Forest. That ended with three interceptions and two fumbles in a 48-21 defeat.
Louisville: The Cardinals endured a mid-game lull that allowed the Irish to tie and lead briefly. They then turned to their strength and found success that gave them their most significant win in a while.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame: Hosts No. 9 Southern California on Saturday.
Louisville: At Pittsburgh on Saturday.
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