It was supposed to be one of those storybook Saturdays in South Bend — blue skies, golden helmets gleaming, and Marcus Freeman finally catching a break after back-to-back strays. Instead, No. 24–ranked Notre Dame’s first dub of the 2025 season came with thunder, lightning, and a twist nobody saw coming—except the football gods. The Irish put on a 56-point masterclass against Barry Odom’s poor Purdue, but when the dust (and rain) settled, the real headline wasn’t just the scoreboard. Notre Dame’s sacred postgame ritual? Got canceled. And for a fanbase that treats tradition like gospel, that stung more than their 2 hours weather delay.

The Irish had been desperate for a dub after opening 0-2 against Texas A&M and Miami. Saturday finally delivered — though the nearly two-hour lightning delay tested every ounce of patience inside Notre Dame Stadium. NBC’s cameras caught fans drenched and counting down as strike after strike reset the mandatory 30-minute clock. By the time the Irish hit the locker room with a 28-13 lead, there had already been 59 lightning strikes within 10 miles. It was chaos — Mother Nature stealing airtime from Marcus Freeman’s first win.

When the rain cleared, CJ Carr and company made sure the football wasn’t washed away with it. CJ Carr casually decided to notorious, going 10-of-12 for 223 yards and 2 tuddies. RB1 back Jadarian Price turned the Boilermakers’ defense into his personal highlight reel, piling up scores in every way possible, including a 100-yard kickoff return that felt more like a video game cheat code than real life. Notre Dame walked away with 535 total yards, while Purdue’s offense sputtered outside of a few crazy plays from their QB Ryan Browne.

But here’s where the night flipped from celebration to frustration. Notre Dame insider Mike Bernandino broke the news on X: “Mass canceled at Basilica due to weather delay.” For the uninitiated, this isn’t like some casual cancellation. Since the 1920s, Notre Dame’s football Saturdays have ended with a big post-game Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart — players, families, and fans linking arms, singing the Alma Mater, and closing the day in prayer. It’s football-meets-faith, uniquely Irish, and for the first time in a long-time, the skies literally shut it down.

This wasn’t just about missing a hymn or two. Freeman himself reinstated the team Mass when he became the head coach to keep the program’s Catholic roots stitched into its fabric. To see that washed out after a long-awaited win? That’s the irony you can’t script. The scoreboard said victory, but the spirit of the ritual was benched by weather.

Notre Dame owned Purdue

For all the tradition that got lost in the storm, the Irish offense found itself right on time. From the opening drive, CJ Carr’s deep strike to Malachi Fields set the tone, a 66-yard bomb that left Purdue’s secondary chasing shadows. If anyone thought that weather delay might slow down Notre Dame’s rhythm, Price erased that notion fast, weaving in a pair of rushing touchdowns like it was backyard football.

Purdue fought back early, even pulling off a halfback throwback pass to knot it at 7. But once the Irish running game revved up, the Boilermakers were playing catch-up the rest of the way. By halftime, Price had already stacked 4 tuddies — including that crazy 100-yard return — and Purdue’s defense looked cooked. Notre Dame’s offensive line bullied its way to 535 total yards while holding Purdue to just 76 on the ground.

The absence of starting corners Leonard Moore and DeVonta Smith did show. Purdue’s Ryan Browne managed 250 passing yards and a touchdown, keeping the game from turning into a complete blowout. His connection with Jacory Barney Jr. gave the Irish secondary trouble, but every time Purdue thought they had could slip the punishment, Notre Dame’s offense threw another haymaker.

The Irish reminded Purdue who owns this rivalry. That’s now 10 straight for Notre Dame, padding a 61–26–2 all-time edge. For Freeman, the dub finally stopped the early-season bleeding. For the fans, though, the bittersweet part lingers: a tradition built on nearly a century of post-game unity was left out in the storm. Notre Dame might’ve owned Purdue on the field, but the weather owned the night.