THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS ESTABLISHED 1966
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2025 | VOL. LX, NO. 21
NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Notre Dame defeats NC State in 36-7 home win By Chris Dailey Sports Writer
Notre Dame kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive on Saturday as they beat NC State 36-7. After a slow first half marked by questionable play-calling, the Irish turned it around in the second with hard-nosed defense and an effective passing game. Freshman quarterback CJ Carr exploded for 342 yards, while the defense notched a season-high four sacks and three interceptions. With the victory, the Irish improve to 4-2. The Irish’s defense started the game off hot. Sophomore defensive lineman Boubacar Traore swarmed NC State’s shifty sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey for an early sack. Traore’s big play forced a Wolfpack three-and-out and set the tone for the Irish’s first offensive possession of the game. Thanks to a lively pass rush, Notre Dame’s offense got the ball back just over a minute later. On the second play of the drive, senior wide receiver Will Pauling came up big once again for Notre Dame, hauling in a 42-yard reception. Notre Dame continued to move the ball with ease, feeding the ball to both junior running back Jeremiyah Love and the receivers as they marched towards the end zone. To the surprise of many,
CAMILA FIGUEROA DAVILA | The Observer
Notre Dame and North Carolina State faced off in a high-intensity matchup, with both teams showcasing big plays and strong defensive efforts. Notre Dame walked away with their fourth consecutive victory this year.
Notre Dame opted to pass on a 4th-and-1. The decision backfired. Carr rolled out of the pocket and was forced out of bounds by the NC State defense for a 10 yard loss. That play def lated the Irish’s offense through the rest of the first half. NC State’s offense, meanwhile, showed signs of life. Redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers
made a few key plays after the Wolfpack got the ball back. A gutsy fourth down conversion later, Bailey found sophomore wideout Terrell Anderson for a 45-yard grab. Anderson darted by freshman cornerback Dallas Golden, leaving himself wide open on the right sideline. The sudden touchdown drew silence from the home fans and an eruption from the
A look inside storied Notre Dame tailgates By Mara Hall
small sea of red in the south section upper bowl at Notre Dame Stadium. However, the applause was short lived, as the score was NC State’s only one of the day. The Irish’s half was characterized by tipped passes on third down and questionable calls from both the play-callers and referees, especially on the Irish’s 4th-and-3 with under two minutes left. In an
eerily similar 4th-down situation from the first quarter, Freeman decided to go for it. The Irish faithful experienced deja vu as Carr rolled out to the right with pressure in his face. With nowhere to go, Carr heaved the ball into the end zone and was intercepted by redshirt freshman Asaad Brown Jr. Although a f lag was initially thrown on the play for pass interference on Carr’s intended target of senior wide receiver Malachi Fields, the referees conversed and instead elected to pick up their f lag. Boos echoed around the stadium after the decision. They were perhaps even louder when junior cornerback Christian Gray’s apparent interception was ruled incomplete on NC State’s next possession. The Irish fans’ displeasure quickly turned to jubilation on Notre Dame’s final drive, in which they quickly drove 40 yards downfield in 20 seconds to set up a field goal for senior kicker Noah Brunette. His low-kick just managed to sneak over the uprights, giving Notre Dame a 10-7 lead after one half. At halftime, Freeman’s message in the locker room was clear. “My message was stop beating Notre Dame. That was the see “NC State” page 8
Saint Mary’s reports incident Observer Staff Report
years of age approached her on a bicycle and initiated a conversation. At some point, she turned away and when she again looked at him, he had exposed himself.” Bambenek added that the identified suspect is not a member of the tri-campus community. Bambenek asked that those with questions or concerns regarding the incident contact Saint Mary’s Campus Safety. He also asked that anyone with information reach out to Campus Safety or the St. Joseph County Police Department. This is the second incident reported at the College this year, following a sexual assault students were notified to on Oct. 5.
Crowley Family Tailgate John Crowley ‘92 is a key figure of the Crowley family tailgate. He is a former law school graduate and a university trustee who delivered the commencement address to the class of 2020. The Crowley family tailgate, marked today by their signature green tents, has been running since 2015, when Megan Crowley,
John Crowley’s daughter, was a freshman. “Over the years we have had hundreds and hundreds of different family, friends, classmates, colleagues and random strangers join us for our tailgate, which is great,” John Crowley said. He notes that the logistics of the gameday experience have improved over the years, but the spirit remains unchanged. In discussing the broader changes that the University has gone through, Crowley noted the more competitive admissions that Notre Dame has seen recently. “We all kid around, my classmates and I, that there is absolutely no way we would ever be
admitted today. The kids are so smart, so driven, so talented and again they just all live the same spirit of Notre Dame and commitment to faith, to service and to something bigger than themselves,” Crowley said. John Romano ‘14 is a friend of the Crowley family, a proud former resident of Dillon Hall and was the football leprechaun in 2013. Romano said that he comes from a line of around 20 cousins, aunts and uncles who came to Notre Dame before him, but that in addition to that, he was inspired to come to Notre Dame for
NEWS | PAGE 3
OPINION | PAGE 5
SCENE | PAGE 7
SPORTS | PAGE 10
SPORTS | PAGE 12
Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey lectures on hope in leadership.
Columnist Greyson Beckham shares his view on the nation’s shifting reputation.
A one-act play based on Notre Dame students’ testimonials about drinking on campus.
Texas transfer Helmers, freshman Kordas break out as Irish run win streak to three.
The Fighting Irish likely bound for No. 1 after shutting out SMV on Senior Day.
News Writer
On home gameday, legacy tailgates take over the Legends of Notre Dame parking lot. These tailgates consist of generations of alumni, many of whom have been tailgating here for over a decade.
Lecture on hope
Troops in Chicago
see “Tailgate” page 2
‘RED CUP’
On Friday evening, Saint Mary’s students were alerted to an exposure incident that occurred on the Avenue via an email from director of campus safety Phil Bambenek. The email shared information on an ongoing investigation in which an anonymous student reported an indecent exposure incident that occurred while she was working on a project Wednesday afternoon. In the email, Bambenek wrote, “The survivor of the incident reported that she was working on a project on the grass when a male hispanic 50
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