All eyes will be on Fayetteville this Saturday as the No. 22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel south to face the Arkansas Razorbacks in a much-anticipated Week 5 college football showdown. It’s a game loaded with storylines: two storied programs meeting for the first time ever, both desperate for a win to steady their seasons. The Razorbacks, sitting at 2-2, are hoping to capitalize on their perfect home record, while the Fighting Irish, at 1-2, look to prove their early struggles are behind them after a dominant win over Purdue last week.
Set for a 12:00 PM ET kickoff at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, this matchup is already generating plenty of noise among fans and analysts alike. ESPN’s Bill Connelly has fueled the fire with his SP+ model, which projects a razor-thin 31-29 upset victory for Arkansas—a result that would shatter Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff aspirations before October even arrives. The game will air on ABC, and with betting lines favoring Notre Dame by 5 points and the over/under set at a whopping 64.5, the stage is set for a high-scoring affair.
Notre Dame’s journey to Fayetteville hasn’t been smooth. After opening the season ranked No. 6 in the AP poll, the Irish slid 18 spots following back-to-back heartbreakers against No. 2 Miami and No. 9 Texas A&M. Both losses came by a combined four points, with defensive lapses in crunch time proving costly. Head coach Marcus Freeman, now in his fourth full season, knows his team must tighten up if they want to avoid a third defeat. “We never go into the game and say, ‘Hey, our objective is to score 60 points and we think our defense is going to give up 50,’” Freeman remarked earlier this week. “No. That’s not the objective. The objective is that no matter what it takes, we’ve got to score one more point. And no matter what it takes, we’ve got to keep them to one point less.”
Freeman’s defense, now under the guidance of coordinator Chris Ash—who returns to face his former Arkansas squad—has shown flashes but remains a work in progress. Ash was hired in late January after a stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Notre Dame’s defense is ranked 101st nationally, allowing nearly 400 yards per game, though the numbers are skewed by tough early opposition. Still, the Irish have some playmakers, including sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore, an AP preseason first-team All-American. Moore snagged his first interception against Texas A&M but missed last week’s game against Purdue and is questionable for Saturday’s contest.
On offense, Notre Dame has been more consistent, ranking 52nd nationally with 426 yards per game. Quarterback CJ Carr, a redshirt freshman pressed into action after Riley Leonard’s departure for the NFL, has completed 49 of 74 passes (66.2%) for 737 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. His favorite targets include junior Jordan Faison (12 catches, 155 yards, 2 TDs), senior Malachi Fields (203 yards, 10 catches), and tight end Eli Raridon. The running game is anchored by junior Jeremiyah Love, who was named to eight preseason All-American first teams and has rushed for 284 yards and three touchdowns on 52 carries so far in 2025.
Notre Dame’s offense exploded last week, dropping 56 points and racking up 258 rushing yards against Purdue. That offensive outburst was a welcome sight after two straight gut-wrenching defeats. Yet, questions linger about the Irish’s ability to close out tight games—something Freeman knows must improve. “As you evaluate it, I think it’s really two areas. When we’re playing man [coverage] right now, we’ve got to play with better fundamentals and technique,” Freeman said. “Or you might have to change a technique that you’ve been playing with....The same thing I probably would say would go with pass rush. It’s the fundamentals and the technique that we’re rushing with that can help us get more pressure.”
Injuries could also play a role for Notre Dame, with key contributors DeVonta Smith and Noah Burnette listed as uncertain for Saturday. Defensive tackle Jared Dawson, who made his first start against Texas A&M, is expected to be available after sitting out last week’s game.
On the other sideline, Arkansas comes in with a mixed bag of results. The Razorbacks are 2-2, but their two losses—to Ole Miss (41-35) and Memphis (32-31)—came by a combined three points. At home, though, they’ve been perfect, notching wins over Alabama A&M and another early-season opponent. Sam Pittman’s squad boasts an explosive offense, averaging 552 yards per game—good for 11th nationally in points scored (174), 10th in passing yards (1,297), and 14th in rushing yards (923). Quarterback Taylen Green has been electric, throwing for 1,191 yards and 12 touchdowns through four games, though he’s also been picked off four times. He’s complemented by running back Mike Washington Jr. (330 rushing yards, four touchdowns) and wide receiver O’Mega Blake (24 receptions, 326 yards).
Defensively, Arkansas has shown improvement over last season, allowing 94 points (64th nationally), with 10 sacks (8th), four interceptions (5th), and two fumble recoveries (4th). Still, the Razorbacks’ defense remains vulnerable, particularly against the run—a weakness Notre Dame’s ground game will surely look to exploit. Pittman knows his team faces a tall task. “Defensively, they’ve got some really good playmakers over there,” Pittman said of Notre Dame. “[They] want to run man coverage, bring singles. [They are] disruptive on the defensive line with their movements.”
Arkansas, for its part, has been a reliable bet after a loss, going 8-2 straight up in such situations over their last 10 games. They’re also 12-6 against the spread as underdogs in their last 18 outings. The Razorbacks have hit the over in their last three home games, and with both teams’ defenses struggling to lock things down, the 64.5-point total feels well within reach. Recent betting trends suggest fireworks are likely, with Notre Dame hitting the over in five straight games as favorites.
This matchup is more than just a battle between two teams eager for a win—it’s a clash of styles, histories, and ambitions. Notre Dame, last year’s national runner-up, is fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive, while Arkansas is eyeing what could be the biggest upset of the 2025 season. “Really good football team,” Pittman said of the Irish. “Outstanding running backs, quarterback, tight end, wideouts. They’re just really good offensively.”
As kickoff approaches, the excitement in Fayetteville is palpable. Both teams have the offensive firepower to light up the scoreboard, and with so much on the line, fans can expect a back-and-forth battle that could come down to the final possession. Will Arkansas pull off the upset and send shockwaves through the college football world, or will Notre Dame rediscover its winning ways and reassert itself as a playoff contender? One thing’s certain: this is one Saturday showdown you won’t want to miss.
With the action set to unfold at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the college football world will be watching to see which team can seize the moment and turn their season around. The stakes are high, the atmosphere electric, and the outcome anything but certain. Let the fireworks begin in Fayetteville.
