Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, September 29, 2025

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025 | VOL. LX, NO. 15

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Irish dominate in 56-13 win over Arkansas

By Noah Cahill Sports Editor

After righting the ship against Purdue at home, the Irish took a trip to Fayetteville to face one of the highest-powered offenses in the country. Through four weeks, Arkansas ranked top-10 nationally in yards per play (552) and yards per play (8.12), presenting a daunting task for an Irish defense that has looked a shell of its 2024 self.

Notre Dame knew going in that they would need their foot on the pedal offensively. Despite the 0-2 start, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock seemed to finally find the right formula: Dominate on the ground to unlock the passing attack. In the first quarter, that is exactly what the Irish did, marching down the field for a touchdown on both of their two offensive drives. Redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr went 5-6 for 93 yards while the junior

GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer

Freshman quarterback CJ Carr unloads a pass downfield in Notre Dame’s 56-13 win over Arkansas at Razorback Stadium on Saturday. Carr threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns in the dominant victory.

Saint Mary’s hosts humanities lecture with Julia Alvarez

News Writer

On Thursday evening in the O’Laughlin Auditorum, Saint Mary’s hosted the annual Francis A. McAnaney Humanities Lecture featuring Julia Alvarez. The hour-long event included a speech and sit-down chat.

see “Arkansas” on page 8

SPN discusses new policy projects

By Ada Duru Ak

BERHAN HAGEZOM | The Observer

backfield duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price managed 6.7 yards per carry. Between missed tackles and blown coverage assignments, Arkansas could not keep up defensively. Love scored both touchdowns, one on the ground and the other through the air.

The Razorbacks found more success on the other side of the ball early on. Winning the toss and electing to receive, quarterback Taylen Green put together a field goal drive to take an early 3-0 lead. They marched down the field to end the quarter, eventually punching it in from the 1-yard line on a handoff to offensive lineman Shaq McRoy, cutting Notre Dame’s lead to 14-10. For the rest of the day, that was as close as they would get.

Notre Dame’s offense kept rolling in the second quarter. They

Student Policy Network (SPN), a student organization at Notre Dame devoted to connecting undergraduates with real-world policy work, has launched its fall 2025 slate of projects. Students were assigned to teams last week, marking the start of a semester of research, advocacy and presentations in partnership with government agencies, think tanks and advocacy organizations.

The organization aims to serve as both a professional pipeline into public policy work and a hands-on opportunity for students to apply what they learn in the classroom. Since its establishment in 2020, SPN has hosted more than 60 projects with over 40 partner organizations, ranging from submitting sanctions requests to the Treasury and State Departments under the Global Magnitsky Act to advocating for legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driving privilege cards in

Indiana. Members also previously worked with the mayor’s office in South Bend to identify energy efficiency programs.

This fall, SPN teams will take on projects with the Atlantic Council, the Pulte Institute for Global Development at Notre Dame, the National League of Cities, Freedom Network USA, the Economic Policy Institute, the Indiana Immigration Project, and the Denver mayor’s office. Additional teams will study education policy, environmental policy, public health, immigration and financial literacy, along with democratic engagement in Chicago.

The Housing Law and Policy Project is one of SPN’s prevailing initiatives, previously highlighted in local media outlets such as NPR-affiliate WFIU and Fox 59. The project has explored tenant protections and eviction trends in past semesters, but this fall, the team will focus on ways Indiana can incentivize new affordable and mixed-use housing developments.

The Humanistic Studies department at Saint Mary’s College hosted their annual Francis A. McAnaney Humanities Lecture on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in O’Laughlin Auditorium.

Since 2006, the department has annually invited writers and historians to give a lecture at the College.

This year, the lecture featured Julia Alvarez, a bestselling author and novelist who wrote, “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents,” and “In

the Time of the Butterflies.”

A pre-lecture reception was held by the Alumnae Association at 6:30 p.m., where students and alumni were able to gather and discuss the novels. Conversation slips were provided in jars with discussion prompts helping attendees to relate Alvarez’s work to how identity, culture and experience impact their own lives.

The lecture was introduced by Laura Williamson, professor of humanistic studies, who shared the history of the lecture series, formerly

known as the Christian Culture Lecture.

“We have welcomed an array of remarkable writers, historians, and thinkers who model the value of humanistic inquiry in solving problems and making meaning in this 21st century world,” she said.

She also recognized students from local high schools in Indiana and Michigan who were nominated by their teachers for their writing.

Ann Marie Short, dean of faculty

NEWS | PAGE 4

OPINION | PAGE 5

SCENE | PAGE 7

SPORTS | PAGE 8

SPORTS | PAGE 12

Keough Hall’s annual chariot race raised money for the local organization Reins of Life.

Columnist Amaris O’Connor discusses the danger of Jimmy Kimmel’s TV suspension.

Director Yim Soon-rye visited DPAC Thursday for a screening of her film.

The Irish fell to Syracuse but bounced back to defeat Boston College on Sunday.

Can red shirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr lead the Irish back to the playoffs?

By Berhan Hagezom Saint Mary’s News Editor

Keough chariot race

Kimmel suspension

see “Lecture” on page 2

‘Little Forest’

ND Volleyball

see “SPN” on page 4

Carr leads Irish

NEWS

2 | THE OBSERVER

Lecture

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Continued from page 1 and associate professor of English, spoke on behalf of College President Katie Conboy in her absence. She discussed how her personal experiences have related to Alvarez’s work.

Short also detailed Alvarez’s accomplishments, noting that she has taught English and creative writing at every level from elementary school to senior citizens. Alvarez currently serves as a writer in residence at Middlebury College.

Discussing where she gets her creativity from, Alvarez said, “The first thing I do is I pray seriously. Every day I sit down and write, I say a prayer that comes from the mind and weavers before they begin their work, as they kneel before their wounds without the benefit of a manual of instructions or a book of patterns, their prayers grant me the intelligence and the patience to find the true pattern. It’s a good prayer for life as well as for writing the true pattern.”

Alongside this, she discussed what her formative years in the 1950s were like growing up in the Dominican Republic under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, where censorship occurred across all communication mediums. She looked at how stories were preserved in her culture, despite the control of the government and secret police at the time.

“Ours was not a literary culture, but it was an oral culture, a storytelling culture. Stories, stories, what a wealth of stories, people told them all the time,” she said. “Years later, when I attended a graduate program in creative writing, I would realize that all I was being taught about character and plot and timing and rhythm and lyricism and metaphor, I had learned in my homeland, in many cases, by people who could not read or write.”

She also talked about how she took inspiration from the Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic in the 1950s, who went

against Trujillo’s government. She shared that following their murder, their story spread and helped to inspire the overthrowing of the dictatorship and the sisters became posthumous international heroes and change-makers.

She gave the audience a homework assignment to find what stories guide and speak to them, regardless of the writer’s educational background or status. She asked them to find the stories that touch them personally and share them with one another for further fulfillment.

Following the speech, Williamson sat with Alvarez to ask previously submitted questions from the audience. Conboy’s question was read first, in which she asked about the feeling of living in between American culture and her background Alvarez discusses in her books and what this concept taught her about belonging. She asked Alvarez what advice she might give to students looking to navigate the same feeling.

“It is something that was difficult for me as an immigrant, because I was given the choice. It was either or, either assimilate and became American or you remain part of your culture. And it took me a long time to realize that I didn’t have to change, that my richness came because I had this combination. When I was in high school, there were girls that were called the old American girls, at one point I thought, ‘No, I’m the old American girl,’” Alvarez said in response to this question.

A freshman at the College asked what piece of advice Alvarez would give to her younger self. Alvarez replied that she would say to embrace her identity rather than feel forced to choose between either aspect of it. She said the larger culture is often not always welcoming to that and has systems which instead prefer conformity.

Williamson also referenced the tour of the Sustainable Farm at Saint Mary’s that Alvarez did with her husband. When asked about the concept of “telling stories and tilling earth,” she replied, “When you write, you’re casting seeds out there in the form of stories or any poem with a lyric … I mean, a story is only half done until the reader takes it in. And if it moves them, then it

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

fructifies, it blossoms, it thrives.

And if you don’t have that, it’s just a dead story.”

She also discussed her work, including how she started a school on a small mountainous farm in the Dominican Republic to help with reading and writing literacy.

She also reflected on her previous film adaptation, “In the Time of the Butterflies,” where she expressed difficulty in working with people who didn’t know a lot about Caribbean history and had to consistently readjust the script, but also looked at the impact of the movie and how it distributed the story to wider audiences.

She ended off the lecture by reading a verse from her poetry collection, “The Woman I Kept to Myself.”

A book signing followed the lecture.

In an interview with The Observer, Alvarez further elaborated on the lecture and how she views herself and her impact as a writer.

She discussed why she chose to give a lecture at the College, citing her own personal background attending an all-women’s high school and two years of college in an allwomen’s institution. To her, speaking at Saint Mary’s was a great experience.

“I couldn’t have had a warmer welcome smarter students, just really talented faculty members. It was really one of the high points of being on the road … I am so glad that I came to Saint Mary’s, [the] only thing is … that I don’t have another life so I can come back and be a student there I guess,” Alvarez said.

She also reflected upon her time teaching Black senior citizens in North Carolina storytelling and self expression through literature and the challenges that came along the way.

“What I found the most challenging ... is not the fact that they couldn’t read or write, but because they didn’t feel invited to the table of literature,” Alvarez said in reference to the barriers the group faced.

“Because they felt like that was for fancy people, people who had a big education and part of it was to convince them that their own storytelling roots, their own roots singing in churches, those songs, those parables, were part of the root system of literature, the

storytelling.”

For college and graduate students, she mentioned that she has to teach them to unlearn the format of literature writing for them to be able to be free in their work. In comparison, she shared that younger kids are often enjoyable to teach because they allow their imagination to run in their writing.

She also discussed how reading different poets and writers impacted her own perspective and worldview.

“So my first book was a book of poems and it was the first section and it is called the housekeeping poems. It’s all about dusting and sweeping and hanging out the wash and ironing their clothes as metaphors and so discovering my voice as a woman. And then reading the new writers that were coming up, like Maxine Hong Kingston, a Chinese American writer, and realizing, ‘Oh, she can write about her Chinese American family. I can write about my Dominican American family,’” Alvarez said.

She also elaborated on the importance of diversity and representation outside of western ideals.

She explained that literature is about being expansive to different groups, cultures and experiences.

“I mean, if indeed literature is all about expanding our horizons, our imagination, capacity for compassion, our understanding of the human experience, why would we say only this little slice of the pie is what’s going to teach us about all of humanity? … We’re doing a disservice even to people that feel comfortable reading within those parameters if we don’t educate them globally,” Alvarez said.

She also discussed how her books bring a different narrative and perspective to historical events and spread their stories further.

“I find that historical fiction brings history and lives in a way that is the way we live history. In other words, when I’m living this moment, I’m not living facts. I’m living within a body, mind a point of view, a setting where I live in Vermont and I’m experiencing history in a way that through the elements the fiction uses,” Alvarez said.

Contact Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@saintmarys.edu

FYCC reflects on election results

By Maggie Sheehan News Writer

On Sept. 15, freshmen students voted for First-Year Class Council (FYCC) members for Notre Dame’s student government. Each residence hall elects one representative to the body.

Twenty out of 32 halls had multiple candidates running for the position.

Junior Elijah Jones, judicial council president and facilitator of the freshman council elections, commented over email on an uptick in engagement with student government.

“This year, the Class of 2029 had an increased interest in getting involved in the Student

Union. Over 100 first-year students showed up to the First-Year Showcase. The capacity of the room was 105 people, and there was an overflow of people standing in the aisles and in the back of the room.

Additionally, 73 students requested a petition form to run for First-Year Class Council,” Jones wrote.

As an organization, FYCC’s goal is to bring students together from each class and residence hall through a variety of different activities.

“This is done through programming and event planning, with class merch and the class formal being two major things the FirstYear Class Council is in charge of,” Jones wrote.

The FYCC representative for

Knott Hall last year, sophomore Philip Jepko, was involved in FYCC’s social committee where he helped organize many of these projects.

“I planned Candy Gram sales, First-Year Formal, End of Year Barbecue, Crumbl and Coloring, and more. Going in, I had many more ideas of events we could do, like a fall or winter-themed event; however, we only had a limited time and budget, so it was nearly impossible to implement each and every representative’s ideas,” Jepko wrote in an email to The Observer.

Breen-Phillips Hall’s newly elected representative, freshman Sissy Page, said she ran in order to promote inter-dorm activities.

“I hope to plan a lot of events that

bring together the different dorms, especially the dorms that aren’t brother-sister dorms,” Page said.

This was also one of Jepko’s goals last year, which he worked toward through the collaboration of the different FYCC committees, including the athletics, social services, finance and communications committees. This year’s class council will likely make use of similar delegations.

Page ran unopposed, as she was the only candidate from BreenPhillips Hall able to receive enough petitions to run. Some elections, however, were much more competitive. In Welsh Family Hall, for see “FYCC” on page 4

NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

THE OBSERVER | 3

Saint Mary’s holds fifth annual SMICK day

By Isabella Gonzales News Writer

On Friday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., SMICK Day, the sixth and final event of Saint Mary’s Spirit Week, took place on Library Green. This is the fifth year that SMICK Day has been held and hosted by the College.

Spirit Week occurred from Sept.

21 to last Saturday as advertised in emails sent by the Office of Student Involvement and various student groups that sponsored them, alongside posters plastered throughout the campus that outlined the week’s events. SMICK Day was hosted by the College’s Student Government Association (SGA).

Once students got to Library Green, they were greeted with different theme activities and a big “SMICK” sign. At the beginning of the event, a long line of students gathered to receive a free sweatshirt related to SMICK Day by various members of SGA. This year, SGA decided to make this year’s theme “Belle Air” and center the activities of this event loosely based on air travel. Both junior Isabella Cuadra, co-chair of the Student Life Committee and sophomore member Madeline Freeman, discussed how easily the theme came to them.

“Belle Air, I feel like, just sounds

ISABELLA GONZALES | The Observer

A “SMICK” sign stands on Library Green at Saint Mary’s for the College’s SMICK DAY celebration Friday.

The annual event, now in its fith year, was hosted and organized by the Student Government Association.

so smooth, so we were like, ‘You know what? Let’s go with that,’ Cuadra explained. “There was a lot to play off of it too. There’s a lot to do with the theme.”

Adding onto that statement, junior Daniela Rivera, director of internal affairs for SGA, noted how the theme can also relate to how the students on campus may feel about traveling.

“We wanted to represent through this event not only a sense of airlines and all that kind of stuff,” she described. “But also recognizing the fact that a lot of students are traveling through all these different points in our lives and that’s how we want to connect it back to student life.”

Some of the activities that appeared to be the most connected with the Belle Air theme the SGA members discussed, including the luggage tag making activity on tables scattered around the grass. Alongside this, an inflatable bouncy house was present where students could “take pictures of their trip,” according to an email sent by SGA. Students were also allowed to customize the food and drinks at the event through the mini pancake station and dirty soda bar, which was sponsored by Coca-Cola, according to Freeman.

“I think it’s so cool to see how the different girls can express themselves through the different activities that we do,” junior Kayla

Pleiness, member of the Social Concerns Committee of SGA, said.

As students would get their drinks from the dirty soda bar, they were able to sign their names and emails to a ticket where they would have the chance of receiving the items up for display in a giveaway.

The winners were announced later that evening at 6:30 p.m. by College President Katie Conboy.

Conboy shared that she has attended SMICK Day every year since it was established, explaining that it was because of the empowerment she felt with the student body reclaiming the term “Smick.”

“It used to be almost used in a little bit of a derogatory way and they said ‘no,’” she explained.

“It

actually means something powerful.

It means women who are gonna go out and do amazing things in the world, and this is what ‘Smicks’ are and this is what they stand for …

I just love it and I love being out and seeing people together and seeing them actually being what I just said.”

Rivera also talked about the significance of how the term, Smick, was used and how it impacted the significance of SMICK Day and other related events that came before.

“I love that the purpose of SMICK Day is to reclaim that word as students and just uplift us,” she emphasized.

“Looking also beneath the surface it’s reclaiming that word, Smick, and reclaiming that pride that comes along with it. I can say I’m proud to be a Smick and we can show it through these events.”

Both Rivera and Pleiness also expressed hope that others will get enjoyment and purpose out of both SMICK Day and upcoming events SGA hosts in the future.

Contact Isabella Gonzales at igonzales01@saintmarys.edu

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The Thomas H. Quinn Lecture series is an annual event hosted by the Mendoza College

age-related diseases such as cancer and

of Business and sponsored by Notre Dame alumnus and trustee John W. “Jay” Jordan II,

Alzheimer’s. He will provide knowledge on

Quinn’s college roommate, longtime friend and business partner, in his memory.

how to live a healthier life.

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4 | THE OBSERVER

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

Keough holds annual chariot race for charity

By Matthew Morin News Writer

On Saturday, Keough Hall held their annual chariot race at 10:15 a.m. on South Quad. This year’s race was in support of the charity Reins of Life, a nonprofit organization providing therapeutic horseback riding to adults and children with disabilities.

Each section of Keough Hall raced one chariot to support the charity. Keough Hall president Gavin Hodge shared that the chariot building was a week-long process, which began last Sunday. Additionally, two other dorms, Flaherty Hall and Lewis Hall, raced each other in a best-of-three competition. The ultimate result of the competition was Keough’s section 1A defeating all other Keough sections and Flaherty Hall defeating Lewis Hall in a tiebreaker after splitting their first two match-ups and tying the third.

Keough Hall vice president Tommy Stecz shared that this race

FYCC

Continued from page 2 example, their first election did not declare a clear winner, so they held a run-off election last Thursday.

“It was nerve wracking because the night after the first election I

SPN

Continued from page 1 “In recent years, investment in affordable housing has plummeted, leaving a huge gap in the market,” junior Paige Weniger, co-lead for the project, wrote in an email to The Observer. “This semester, we’re looking at ways the state of Indiana can secure investment for lower to middle-income Hoosiers.”

The project is working in partnership with the Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance, a nonprofit coalition of faith leaders that has long been active in housing efforts.

Students will be tasked with analyzing construction data from the past several years, researching barriers

MATTHEW MORIN | The Observer

The winning team of Keough Hall’s annual chariot race, section 1A, poses for a photo on South Quad after the race. The money raised provides therapuetic horseback riding for adults and children with disabilities.

the number of participants, which both he and Hodge described as a great turnout with nine teams, 45 racers and more than 150 participants overall.

“I want to thank my hall president, Gavin Hodge, VP, Tommy Stecz, hall gov and all of their team.

It was good to see Reins of Life ... [and] to see all the Keough guys this early in the morning.”

A representative of Reins of Life present at the event shared that the funds raised will go toward engaging programming for equine therapy.

Reins of Life was founded in 1978 and opened its first barn in the 1990s. She shared that last year, they served 750 people between their two barns. They have 35 horses ranging in age and breed, from large horses to small ponies, including Bolt, the pony brought to Keough’s event.

is the dorm’s signature event of the year. Following a brief hiatus due to COVID-19, they are working to rebuild it to the larger chariot race that it used to be.

“I think this is a great event and I’m happy we had Flaherty and Lewis here to help support us,” Stecz

said.

Stecz also shared that the chariot race became a charity event last year when the previous hall president chose Reins of Life as their charity. He described Reins of Life as “A great charity doing good work local to us,” and a charity that also

ties back to the idea of a chariot race. He said that last year the event raised about $3,000.

Fr. David Murray, rector of Keough Hall, has participated in this event for the last three years as a rector or assistant rector. He shared that he was very happy with

was told I won, but then the next morning they came back and said they calculated the results wrong. I had to plan for the run-off election and do a little more campaigning,” freshman Grace Rochelle, Welsh Family Hall’s FYCC representative, said.

To campaign, Rochelle printed

posters and verbally encouraged students in her residence hall to vote for her.

“I was class president my junior and senior year of high school.

I’m very much into school spirit and I enjoy getting kids involved.

I thought the First-Year Class Council would be a great way to get

involved in student government,” Rochelle stated.

With her position, Rochelle hopes to prioritize fundraising and unity of the residence halls.

“Because of our strong communication, fellow FYCC reps became a very tight-knit community, and I consider many of them very

close friends today, which demonstrates the strong collaborative environment we maintained,” Jepko wrote.

The First-Year Class Council has its first meeting this Tuesday.

that discourage developers and studying how other states and municipalities have addressed similar shortages.

For co-lead sophomore Curtis Brashaw, the project’s success can be measured in more than one way.

“Each week we’ll compile research on historical trends and then formulate policy recommendations,” he wrote in an email. “The goal is to see a difference being made at the state or local level, but even contributing to our partner’s annual housing summit is a success for us.”

The Mass Incarceration Project, meanwhile, is collaborating with Notre Dame’s Institute for Social Concerns and an incarceration research lab at the University of

Denver. Building on last semester’s focus on alternatives to policing, the team will examine post-carceral care programs across states.

“The central focus of our project is a mixture of post-carceral care research, comparative community safety policies and a continuation of last semester’s focus on alternatives to policing,” co-lead sophomore Tim Browdy wrote via email. “We hope to provide a resource for individuals seeking post-carceral care as well as a mapped resource for legislators and policymakers alike.”

The International Human Rights Law Project is taking on pressing global issues. In collaboration with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, part of the Organization of American States,

the team will focus this semester on analyzing countries’ compliance with United Nations reparation orders. Past projects have included investigations into abuses in Nicaragua, China, Bangladesh and Malta.

“Our project focuses on investigating human rights violations and political corruption across the world,” co-lead senior Sam Godinez wrote via email.

He explained the work that students will be doing to enhance their skills in this area.

“This semester, we are focused on analyzing foreign countries’ compliance with UN reparation orders. Students will strengthen their research, writing and analytical abilities through comprehensive

document summarization and investigative inquiry,” Godinez wrote.

The team is co-led by Godinez, sophomore Samuel Robinson and sophomore Katarina Todorovich, who will guide students through comparative international law and case analysis. Their findings will contribute to broader accountability efforts and assessments of how effectively global human rights norms are enforced.

Each SPN team will produce research deliverables such as white papers or policy memos and present their findings to partner organizations at the semester’s end.

Contact Matthew Morin at mmorin2@nd.eu

Contact Maggie Sheehan at msheeha9@nd.edu

Contact Ada Duru Ak at aak@nd.edu

SACNAS hosts first kickoff event of the year

By Leylany Rivera News Writer

The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) returned to Saint Mary’s College this semester with a renewed mission to support women and minorities in STEM. On Thursday evening from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the group welcomed students with their social event, “Conchas and Crafts,” featuring pan dulce, crafts and drinks in Science Hall 115.

The purpose of the event was to give students a chance to relax, build connections and learn about the mission of SACNAS. After a period

of inactivity, SACNAS is reestablishing itself on campus.

Junior Ayline Arvizu, president of the SMC SACNAS chapter, explained the challenges of restarting the club.

“Last spring semester is when we finally started to come back together and do meetings and other activities,” Arvizu said. “It’s been a little difficult to get the club started back up, just because we are all juniors and none of us have ever really been on a board like this. So, we all have just kind of been figuring out on the way. Our advisor, Dr. Paetkau, has been a great help. He’s very supportive.”

Arvizu added that this is the first

year that the group has operated with a fully verified student board.

The organization’s leadership hopes to create a space where women and minorities in STEM fields feel encouraged and supported, especially at a time when they feel underrepresentation remains a challenge.

Outreach coordinator junior Yazmin Reyes highlighted the importance of connection outside the classroom.

“So we’re super excited to be outreaching, and getting more people involved and more hands-on,” Reyes said. “Some events that we plan on having are making a periodic table, decorating and talking about what it is to be a woman in STEM. I feel that community is something we really

need to dive into, get out of our books for a little bit and just kind of enjoy each other’s presence.”

Junior Madison Weaver, treasurer of the organization, spoke about the group’s broader mission to uplift women of color in science.

“I want to use my privilege as a non-POC woman to help women who maybe don’t have as loud of a voice as I do,” Weaver said. “Being a woman is already hard as it is and being a minority on top of that, it just adds to the struggle. So I just want to help in any way I can and I love to see women of color in positions of power and just doing well in STEM.” While the evening was centered on community building, it also

provided students with a chance to unwind. Sophomore Ryan Stalker, who attended the event, said it was a welcome break.

“I like events like this, where there is a good fun craft where you get to come in, maybe get a little snack,” Stalker said. “It’s really relaxing after a long week.”

Leaders of the organization emphasized that this is just the beginning. They plan to host more events throughout the semester, including study groups, collaborative projects and outreach initiatives for cultural connection and academic support.

Contact Leylany Rivera at lrivera01@saintmarys.edu

OPINION

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

THE OBSERVER | 5

Dangerous politics of Kimmel’s suspension

By Amaris O’Connor Columnist, “Filibustered”

Jimmy Kimmel is an American TV host who has been hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since 2003, which is longer than most freshman and sophomores have been alive. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely seen the dramatic pulling and reinstating of his show after he made a comment on the murder of podcaster Charlie Kirk.

America is supposed to be a democracy, and in a democracy everyone should be allowed to express an opinion, whether or not it is contrary to that of the government. Kimmel has been critical of President Trump in the past, and President Trump has been critical of Kimmel.

A good example is during the Oscars last year, in which Jimmy Kimmel read out President Trump’s tweet, which said to “get rid of Kimmel” amongst other insults. After reading it aloud, Kimmel quipped back with, “Isn’t it past your jail time?” Childish on both parts?

Yes. Hilarious on both parts?

Also yes. However, the most important thing is that both were able to freely express how they felt. Kimmel’s suspension marks both the loss of free speech and subsequent rise of censorship.

When people are no longer able to express their thoughts and opinions without fear of being silenced, we are no longer free but instead fearful. It is natural to fear consequence;

that fear has been hammered into us from a young age. You steal someone’s juice box in kindergarten? Naturally, you fear the consequences if the teachers find out. But I’m not talking about fearing natural consequences. I’m talking about the unnatural ones — the consequences where the punishment strongly outweighs the perceived wrongdoing. Kimmel said that the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and accused them of “trying to score political points” regarding his death. It was these comments that caused the controversy.

On Sept. 17, ABC announced it would be indefinitely suspending Kimmel’s show. Prior to this action, on a podcast with Benny Johnson, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said there could be “a path forward for suspension over this” and urged media companies to “push back” and stop airing the show. Nexstar, a large station owner, also made a statement condemning Kimmel. Interestingly, Nexstar is currently trying to complete a merger with another TV giant. This merger would require the approval of the FCC. The sequence of these events shows the power of the federal government over the allegedly “free” media. We can of course speculate to what extent financial reasoning influenced Kimmel’s suspension, but writing about

DIONE PHAILAN | The Observer

the power of money in a capitalist society is like writing about chicken in Chick-fil-A — obvious and unnecessary.

So, what’s the big deal? For someone not into politics, it just seems like Kimmel got fired for being insensitive, whoopty doo.

But his suspension has deeper meaning. I find it to be an indicator of what I see as the height of intolerance. It is troubling how in the current political climate, opinions no longer create discourse but instead have debilitating effects on one’s life.

We now live in a time where people defend hate speech as opinion as long as it aligns with

their agenda and treat opposing views as hate speech. We no longer allow the democratic process to run its course. We no longer allow for natural consequences.

If the people deemed Kimmel offensive, they would stop watching.

There is no need for a meddling middleman in the form of government officials. We, the people, do not need interference when it comes to forming opinions. It is diversity of opinion that allows a democracy to thrive. If we only see one opinion in the media, we forget there is an opposition.

To forget there is an opposition

is to forget there is a choice, and to forget there is a choice ultimately means to accept undue authority over every aspect of your being, even your mind.

The silver lining, if you made it this far, is that Kimmel was reinstated. It was contested. That shows that notions of democracy are still alive and still fighting for their place in our society.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Write to Amaris O’Connor at aoconn27@nd.edu

A successfully boring Opinion article

By Grayson Beckham Columnist, “Citizen Gray”

Last week, The Observer’s own Jonah Tran published an extremely helpful how-to guide on the proper method of writing a boring Opinion article. In a stroke of pedagogical genius, Tran encourages Observer Opinion columnists to maximize their boringness by writing about politics, using buzzwords like “fascism” and citing sources. As I pondered the subject of my column today, I initially drafted an effectively boring article about congressional redistricting (using Tran’s guide as my roadmap, of course).

However, as I drafted my eloquent and well-informed article (with so many sources), I began to ask myself: Why am I doing this? Does anyone actually want to read my (very) boring political article?

I then entered the proverbial descent into the dark, questioning the purpose of my column.

Such soul-searching was unbecoming for what was supposed to be a quiet weekend. I began to falter in my resolve, believing that perhaps my boring political writing was more

of a blight than boon on the once-proud Observer. While in my state of mental anguish, I stumbled upon the Sept. 24 issue of The Observer, open to Thomas Murphy’s “Response to College Republicans.” Only then did I realize that maybe our student newspaper actually benefits from boring political articles.

Satire like Tran’s can be important in our Notre Dame discourse; it keeps us humble, as any good satire does. However, the author’s clear disdain for political Opinion columns seems to short sell the immense value of political dialogue on campus.

In the wake of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, The Observer was flooded with Opinion pieces mourning his death, discussing his assassination’s implications on free speech and criticizing his legacy, among other topics. Both the editorial board and columnists of the paper contributed insightful, critical and well-informed pieces on what will likely prove to be a watershed moment in the history of American political discourse.

Notably, Shri Thakur’s letter to the editor suggests that farleft voices “should be purged from institutions and socially

ostracized” in the wake of Kirk’s death. He offers an endorsement to the return of McCarthyism, as, in his words, “History proves that resolute steps are necessary when ideologies threaten the very fabric of a free society, and we must heed its lessons now.”

Thakur’s claim that the “modern left” “threatens the very fabric of a free society” certainly proved to be a conversation starter in my social circle and was among the most-read pieces in The Observer for the week. While his article is deeply offensive and betrays the most fundamental American values of free expression, I believe that it is actually worthy of some praise: It contributed to an active conversation regarding campus politics. Thomas Murphy’s aforementioned response to Thakur continued that conversation, fostering dialogue between disagreeing voices.

What’s more American than that?

The health of America’s political institutions is entirely dependent on the continued civic virtue of its citizenry, in their zeal for political and civic engagement. Much ink has been spilled concluding that there is a direct correlation between

the institutional stability of democracies and the civic engagement of its people, however, a more convincing example is one that I am sure everyone has witnessed. I therefore pose the question: When having a political conversation with another person, is the conversation more productive when that person is well-informed?

Political discourse on campus, especially in its most consistently circulated publication, remains particularly necessary and valuable. Here at a residential campus like Notre Dame, students remain exceptionally self-contained. One rarely leaves campus, and if he or she does, it is usually not beyond South Bend city limits. We, quite literally, live in a bubble. With the multitudes of demands on our time, it can be difficult to remain well-informed on the many happenings in the outside world. Political Opinion articles like those concerned with free speech, the death of Kirk and criticisms of the Trump administration are essential in the formation of a well-informed and ideologically sound citizen.

They are accessible; if a tricampus student does not engage with The Observer, it is entirely

by choice. College, in many ways, is a training ground for the “real world.” Why would we want to shy away from participating in an essential form of adulthood like civic engagement?

If you’ve made it this far, you perhaps have realized that this article is not actually about Donald Trump, the Democratic party or anything else that a critical Observer reader might identify as “boring.” But even if it was, you’d probably be better for reading it. While it’s important not to take ourselves as amateur columnists too seriously, perhaps we should reflect on the ongoing debates within our paper’s pages.

What we’re seeing with the free speech debate is but one example of an important function of our student newspaper. Let me conclude with a cliche call to action, as any good boring Opinion article would: Give the political discourse a chance. Our laboratory of democracy needs peer-review.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Write to Grayson Beckham at gbeckham@nd.edu

OPINION

6 | THE OBSERVER

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

What I hate about the word “hate”

By Noirin Dempsey

Columnist, “Through the Overton Window”

When my siblings and I were little, my parents forbade us from using the word “hate.” For a while, I viewed it as equal in offense to uttering a curse word (none of which I knew in kindergarten, of course) and would be shocked whenever someone else used it. It didn’t take me long to realize, however, that “hate” is a pretty common word. People used it all the time, and soon young five-year-old me was using it, too — often without even noticing I was doing so.

Sometimes I still think about this, how often we casually toss around the word “hate.” From discussing this weekend’s football game (“Man, I hate the Razorbacks”) to commenting on the dining hall food (“Everyone hates South Dining Hall right now”) to gossiping about others (“Don’t you just hate when she does that?”), “hate” is seriously ingrained in our vocabulary.

Rather than reserve it for subjects of especially strong aversion, we have come to use “hate” to describe anything that remotely irks, annoys or bothers us to the slightest degree. In many ways, the word has lost much of its potency, so to speak — it’s been watered down to such an extent and overused so frequently that, as a result, we often forget what true hatred is.

Recently, we have received several very strong reminders that deep, real hatred — not just mere dislike — is alive and well in the world. I am of course referring to recent acts of violence, including the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, the murder of Iryna Zarutska, the Evergreen High School shooting and the assassination of prominent conservative leader Charlie Kirk.

These tragedies are clearly fueled by a hatred much deeper than plain

distaste, and, in a way, that puts everything in our lives into sharp perspective. After all, how can we claim to “hate” anything when our dislike for trivial things pales in comparison to the sort of hatred which would drive someone to commit the heinous crime of murder? It makes us realize just how little we understand what it really means to “hate.”

Being so unfamiliar with the subject raises the question: How should we respond to real hatred? Is it better to fight back, fueled by our anger, or be subdued in the name of peace?

While fighting fire with fire seems guaranteed to escalate the situation, failing to respond at all doesn’t seem like a good way to achieve peace either; in fact, the second option essentially permits violence under the guise of avoiding conflict. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” If we are to take his advice, it seems necessary to respond with love. But what does that really mean?

I found my answer on Sept. 21, when Erica Kirk spoke at her husband’s memorial service in Arizona to tens of thousands of people gathered from all over the world. Just 11 days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, evidently still in the throes of grief, she stood tall at the podium, faced the sea of mourners and spoke a message of hope. Aside from her courage and personal strength, what impressed me most were the three words she directed to her husband’s killer: “I forgive you.”

When I heard her speak those words, my jaw literally dropped.

I was shocked. Her husband was brutally murdered not two weeks ago and yet there was not a trace of hatred in her heart. I think most of us, myself included, would struggle to do what Erica Kirk did.

Personally, I know that if one of my

DIONE PHAILAN | The Observer

family members was killed, I would be outraged. As much as I’d like to say otherwise, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t harbor resentment and anger in my heart, probably for a long time. And part of me thinks I’d be justified in doing so. But then I look at Erica Kirk, who did not wish for revenge, nor did she call for violence.

Instead, she offered an olive branch of love and forgiveness to a man who did her family great wrong.

Her actions truly embody MLK’s words: driving out hate with love.

I cannot help but notice the contrast between Erica Kirk and other Americans in the ways they have reacted to Charlie Kirk’s assassination. For example, we have seen an explosion of vile responses online saying he deserved to be killed or that they even enjoyed watching his demise. Still others have sought to make themselves the victims of his death; for instance, Rep. Jasmine Crockett recently refused to vote in favor of a congressional resolution which “condemns the assassination of Charlie Kirk, extends

condolences and sympathies to his family, and honors his commitment to civil discussion and debate,” citing Kirk’s “rhetoric that specifically targeted people of color” along with his criticisms of Crockett’s work as her reasons for doing so. While I can understand Crockett’s reluctance to support a man who criticized her work, her refusal to publicly participate in legislation denouncing Kirk’s death is what I take issue with. The fact that we as a society cannot unanimously condemn the gruesome murder of a young father is incredibly discouraging. I also find it particularly ironic that Erica Kirk, the one person who undoubtedly has suffered the most from Charlie Kirk’s death, does not call herself a victim but forgives his killer, while others who never even knew him watched him die, and their first reaction is to feel sorry for themselves.

This entire situation reveals something I truly hate about hatred: It divides rather than brings us together. We should be able to unite over a shared hatred for violence,

injustice and the deaths of innocent men, women and children. Even if we have nothing else in common, we should all be universally disgusted by the murder of innocent people. Instead, we wrongly direct our hate toward the deceased victims and toward each other.

Suffice it to say, I don’t think hatred should disappear. It is healthy, normal and good for society to hate objectively horrible things — murder, persecution and poverty, to name a few. But we need to stop the epidemic of self-victimization and remember how to hate what really matters. We need to put aside our differences and condemn acts of violence as one. And we need to respond to hatred like MLK, like Erica Kirk — with love.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Write to Noirin Dempsey at ndempsey@nd.edu

Feed your spirit, not your flesh

By Sienna Stephens

Columnist, “Not Your Average Post”

I’ve noticed something about the world we live in: The world is always asking for more. More success, more beauty, more attention, more stuff. Everywhere we turn, there is a new standard telling us who we should be and what we should chase.

For a while, I believed that if I could just keep up, if I worked hard enough or reached the goals I set for myself, then maybe I would finally feel whole.

Maybe I would feel like I mattered. But the truth is, every time I hit one of those milestones, the satisfaction never lasted. It felt good for a moment, but then it faded. And the cycle would start all over again. The more I tried to fill myself with what the world offered, the emptier and more anxious I began to feel.

Scripture describes this as “The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.”

(Galatians 5:17) There’s the part of me that wants the comfort, attention, pleasure and approval from others. And then there’s the part of me that longs for peace, for purpose, for God in my life, who will fill this void. The world says, “Live for yourself,” but the Spirit says, “Live for something greater.”

When I follow the voice of the flesh, I end up restless. No achievement or possession can silence that ache inside that longs for something more. But when I listen to the Spirit, when I take time out of my day to pray, when I focus on loving people instead of impressing them, when I remind myself that my worth comes from God and not from this world, I find a joy and peace that I can’t explain. It’s not loud or flashy; it’s steady and enough.

Living for God doesn’t mean we throw away everything in the world or act like nothing here matters. It simply means putting things in the right order. Money, recognition, beauty and success are not bad in themselves.

The problem is when they become the center of our lives, when we let them define who we are. That’s when we get lost in the flesh. Living for God means remembering that everything on earth is temporary, but God is eternal and everlasting. The flesh says, “Put yourself first,” but the Spirit says, “Love God and love others.” And when I choose the Spirit, even ordinary things like school, work or friendships start to take on a deeper meaning because I’m no longer chasing them to prove my worth.

The world makes it sound like living for yourself will make you happy. But if that’s true, why are so many people who “have it all” still looking for something more? Fame disappears, wealth can vanish overnight, beauty fades, but when your life is anchored in God, you’re not shaken as easily. Even when hard times come, you have peace because your foundation is not built on things that can crumble.

That doesn’t mean this path

is easy, if anything, it’s harder.

The pull of the world is strong, and I catch myself scrolling on my phone and comparing my life to people who seem to have everything I don’t. I catch myself wanting recognition more than I want to serve. I catch myself craving comfort instead of discipline. That’s when I know I need to step back and feed my spirit.

Feeding the spirit takes intention. For me, that means prayer.

Not fancy or perfect words, but just honest conversations with God. It means reading Scripture and letting it remind me of what’s true when the world is loud. It means surrounding myself with people who encourage me to grow instead of dragging me down. Sometimes it means giving up certain comforts so I can remember that I don’t need them to survive. And sometimes it means choosing small acts of service, even when no one notices, because those moments shift my heart away from selfishness.

It’s not always glamorous. But

every time I take steps like that, my soul feels lighter. My perspective changes. Instead of being trapped in comparison, I feel gratitude. Instead of being obsessed with what people think, I feel secure in God’s love. Instead of being restless, I feel peace.

I’ve realized that at the end of the day, I have to decide what I’m living for. The world and the flesh promise everything but deliver nothing lasting. God and the Spirit may require sacrifice, but they lead to a life that’s full. Not full of things, but full of meaning.

So here’s the question I keep coming back to, and maybe it’s the one we all need to ask ourselves: Am I living for what fades, or am I living for what lasts forever?

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Write to Sienna Stephens at sstephens01@saintmarys.edu

SCENE

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

THE OBSERVER | 7

Slowing down: ‘Little Forest’ at DPAC

By Kate Shin Scene Writer

Burnout may be a feeling that we are all familiar with, but what if we all had our own “little forest,” an area holding significance to just us, enabling us to seek refuge from societal pressures? Director Yim Soonrye ponders this question in the 2018 film “Little Forest.”

Originally based on a Japanese manga series, the film centers around protagonist Hyewon, played by actress Kim Taeri, who after struggling with the pressures of city life returns to her rural hometown to reconnect with her roots. There, she finds comfort and healing in the changing seasons, the food she prepares and the relationships she rekindles with childhood friends. Through cooking and nature, she rediscovers herself and explores the bond between family, memory and tradition.

Yim, considered one of the few leading female auteurs of Korean New Wave cinema, visited the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC) on Sept.

25 for a screening presented as part of the “Learning Beyond the Classics: Voicing Intergenerational Trauma in Postwar Korea and Japan through Contemporary Cinema” program. She shared that the motivation behind this particular film was to capture the

DEION QUIAMBAO PAHILAN | The Observer

realities of Korea’s demanding work culture while also offering a counter-narrative for younger generations. Through her storytelling, she hopes to remind audiences that they are not bound to the relentless pace of society and that choosing to slow down and reflect is a valid and powerful act.

As a Korean who grew up watching this film, witnessing an audience engage with a story that was told entirely in Korean and filled with our cultural dishes deepened my gratitude for the power of media to bridge

cultural gaps. It was moving to witness non-Korean viewers resonate with the themes of family, belonging and self-discovery through something as universal as food. At the same time, it reminded me of the importance of preserving and sharing the nuances of Korean culture beyond cliches or stereotypes.

During the Q & A session, Yim explained that she deliberately avoided including stereotypical foods such as kimchi, since Korean audiences were already too familiar with them. She said she did not expect her film

global hit. Instead, she highlighted dishes that underscored the intimate bond between Hyewon and food, a connection meant to mirror the relationship between Hye-won and her mother. Even so, I found myself wishing for more glimpses of that mother-daughter relationship, a core thread within the narrative. While the absence itself speaks to the themes of uncertainty and distance, further exploration could have deepened the audience’s understanding of how food and memory intertwine in their bond.

Still, the restraint in storytelling perhaps mirrors the unspoken nature of many parent-child relationships, where silence and absence can be just as powerful as dialogue.

The film’s quiet pace and the focus on everyday rituals emphasize the beauty of simplicity.

Most of the dialogue was done through voiceovers, perhaps reflecting on how the plot is meant to center around Hye-won alone and her journey to rediscover her roots. In an age where attention spans are shrinking and cinema increasingly relies on spectacle and visual effects, this minimalist approach cultivates a deeper emotional resonance.

Watching Hye-won return to the rhythms of country life invites audiences to slow down with her, experiencing a sense of healing and renewal alongside her journey. For Yim, the story is not a call to retreat into the countryside, but an invitation for each of us to cultivate our own “little forest,” wherever that may be. The film suggests that healing is not found in drastic escapes but in ordinary moments we often overlook. By encouraging us to value slowness, presence and sincerity, Yim’s work ultimately gestures toward a universal need: to reclaim small sanctuaries in an otherwise hurried world.

Contact Kate Shin at kshin2@nd.edu

Building community inside and outside of class

By Aly Rothfus Scene Writer

Since moving in, I call my older sister quite often. Last week on our call, I mentioned going to my Moreau instructor’s house for a class dinner. She found the idea of this dinner intriguing. She also was once a freshman Gateway student, but during the height of the panic of 2020, when building community was difficult.

My Moreau class was excited to socialize outside of the classroom.

On Sept. 22, we met at Main Circle to wait for our Ubers to take us to Mike Comuniello’s house. As we walked into the backyard we were greeted by our instructor and his lovely family. A bubble machine was on full blast, which gave a fun vibe to the night. While some students played cornhole, others enjoyed soft drinks while sitting on the porch.

For dinner, we helped ourselves to bread, salad and baked ziti. Comuniello was kind enough to bake gluten-free ziti for me as well. Before indulging in the Italian dinner, my Moreau mate Nate Ritz led us in grace. The dinner was so delicious that many, if not all of us, had seconds.

After finishing dinner we ate ice cream and birthday cake for our

DEION QUIAMBAO PAHILAN | The Observer

classmate who had recently celebrated his birthday.

When the night wound down, we ordered Ubers back to campus, and four of us hopped into an Uber together. We were all (illegally) smushed like sardines in the backseat, because the passenger seat was full of junk. It was definitely a bonding experience for us. It was at this point that I started using the term “Moreau

family” when referring to my Moreau class.

We appreciated this gathering.

When we see each other at our Moreau class at 8 a.m. on Fridays, most of us are sleep-deprived, and the main thing on our minds is, “When can I get a coffee?”

Socializing on a Monday night was a great way to see everyone in a more energized state.

My Moreau mate Elizabeth

LeSage said, “I loved the opportunity to get to know my classmates and their lives better … and it was a great break from the dining hall.” Martin Mzeche added, “I liked the social aspect of the dinner!”

I asked my instructor why he hosted the class dinner. He explained that he tries to host one dinner for each class that he teaches for two reasons. First, to

expose his students to the South Bend community, and second, for his family to meet his students.

He brought up the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where they gather to break bread together. “I aspire to live an integrated life — one in which my professional life, experience of community and faith are inherently enriched by one another. No doubt, seeing my students in my home or together with my family fosters this sense of integration, and, I hope, serves as a model for my students.”

The class dinner was an unforgettable night. Other Moreau classes have also been partaking in similar activities outside of class — for example, having brunch at the dining hall and going out for ice cream. It is a blessing that we are able to have these community-building opportunities that contribute to the community aspect at Notre Dame.

Thank you to all these Moreau instructors and Moreau peer leaders for taking the time to create an environment where the classes can become like family, and a special thank you to Comuniello, his wife, his daughter and his dog for hosting the section 70 of Moreau!

Contact Aly Rothfus at arothfus@nd.edu

SPORTS

8 | THE OBSERVER

Arkansas

Continued from page 1 scored on all four of their possessions en route to 420 yards of total offense in the half. Senior wide receiver Will Pauling caught his first touchdown of the season to cap off a six-play, 75-yard drive in under three minutes.

After forcing the first threeand-out of the game on either side, the Irish went 70 yards in five plays, this time in just over a minute. A brilliant screen design set up Love with a convoy to the end zone, walking in untouched to extend the lead to 28-10.

Arkansas answered with a field goal drive that brought it within two possessions, but Notre Dame responded once again. This time, it took just over three minutes and 12 plays to cover 75 yards.

Love finished the drive with his fourth score of the day, breaking a tackle on a 3-yard touchdown run.

Disaster

struck on the next possession for Arkansas, as sophomore safety Adon Shuler punched the ball out of wide receiver Raylen Sharpe’s hands and senior cornerback DeVonta Smith recovered for the Irish.

Two plays later, Price was running into the Arkansas end zone. In just the blink of an eye, Notre Dame led 42-13.

Carr’s 294 first-half passing yards were the most by a Notre Dame quarterback since 2008. He put more high-level throws on display, one a sideline shot to junior wide receiver Jaden Greathouse through a big hit.

He also got multiple passcatchers involved. In addition to Greathouse and the two running backs, Carr connected with junior wide receiver Jordan Faison, senior wide receiver Malachi Fields and senior tight end Eli Raridon on multiple occasions. Beyond his production, he was in full command of the offense from start to finish. In only his fourth career start,

Carr looks capable of leading his team to the mountaintop.

“There’s very few people that you come in contact with that are blessed with that leadership, competitive trait, I’m talking like not normal,” head coach Marcus Freeman said. “It’s more important for us to win than it is for him to play well.”

The outcome appeared to be all but decided after 30 minutes, but Arkansas showed the faintest sign of life to begin the second half, getting its first stop of the game and driving into Irish territory.

However, the Irish secondary stood strong against multiple end zone shots to stymie the drive. Notre Dame took over after the turnover on downs and got right back to scoring. Carr led the team down the field, finding Faison for three 10-plus yard receptions before Price scampered into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day.

The Irish turned Arkansas over on downs once again

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

and continued to pile on. Now fielding their second-team offensive unit, junior quarterback Kenny Minchey led Notre Dame’s eighth scoring drive of the game, ending in a 17yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Aneyas Williams. The Razorbacks made one last half-hearted attempt to do some windowdressing, but junior safety Luke Talich thwarted it with an interception in the back of the end zone. From there, the Irish were able to convert a couple of first downs and kneel on it, leaving SEC country with a lopsided 56-13 victory.

“Extremely proud of the way they prepared,” Freeman said. “I’m proud of both sides of the ball being able to do that, handle praise and handle criticism. Today was a really good three-phase effort, team win.”

Notre Dame put up a ridiculous 641 yards of total offense, scoring a touchdown on all but two of their drives,

one of which was spent running out the clock. They gave up several chunk plays on defense, but held strong in the red zone and turned Arkansas over twice. Their three sacks in the game nearly doubled their team total for the season. Considering the reputation of the Razorbacks offense after four games, the performance was promising.

“It’s a choice that everybody has to make,” Freeman said. “This is us, it’s not Chris Ash, it’s not Marcus, it’s all of ours … if you want to pass blame, then you’re never gonna do the things it takes to fix it.”

Improving to 2-2 on the season, the Irish prepare to face Boise State next Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.

They must remain f lawless to keep hopes of a College Football Playoff spot alive, but today’s win gives reason to believe.

Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu

ND VOLLEYBALL

ND volleyball takes a win and a loss at home

By Harrison Brown Sports Writer

After dropping two straight matches to Michigan, Notre Dame volleyball was eager to return home and prepare for the opening of ACC conference matches.

The Irish completed out-of-conference play with a 3-5 record.

Through the beginning of the season, sophomore Morgan Gaerte has been the offensive leader for the team, averaging 4.67 kills per set, placing her among elite company at 15th in the nation. The Irish began the weekend hosting Syracuse on Friday and finished it hosting Boston College on Sunday going 1-1 to sit at 4-6 on the season.

Syracuse Syracuse entered Sept. 26’s match with a very strong 8-2 record and a two-game win streak.

This effort has come behind a well-rounded start as the Orange rank top-50 in the nation for kills, aces and assists per set. Gabriella McLaughlin has been the leading scorer for the Orange, recording 145 kills before the matchup with the Irish. Her teammate, Tehya Maeva, has been an elite playmaker, leading the team in assists and placing second in service aces for the Orange.

Early in the first set, Notre Dame took a 5-0 lead, forcing the Syracuse offense to play out of rhythm. However, a few errors from the Irish allowed Syracuse to start a run and claim their first lead at 9-8. The rest of the set was highly competitive, and neither squad was able to pull away. Eventually, three straight points from the Irish put them ahead 23-22. Despite the lead, a couple of attack errors from Notre Dame allowed

DECLAN HUGGINS | The Observer

Outside hitter Lucy Trump jumps to spike the ball against Syrcause on Friday evening in Purcell Pavillion. The Irish would lose the match 3-1 against Syracuse, but would gain a 3-0 victory over Boston College on Sunday. The team is now 4-6 on the season as they face Stanford next.

Syracuse to battle back and take the first set 25-23.

The second set was again extremely close, with no team taking a commanding lead. In the later minutes of the set, Notre Dame was in front 24-22 with match point on the line. Syracuse closed the lead to 24-23 looking for another comeback to win the set down the stretch. Gaerte would silence the chances of a comeback, recording a kill to seal the set at 25-23 and tying the match at 1-1.

The third set saw divergence from the back and forth nature of the first two sets. The Irish went ahead 1-0, but Syracuse quickly took firm control with a commanding lead and never looked back. The Orange closed out the set 25-18 to take a 2-1 lead in the

match.

Trailing 2-1, Notre Dame needed to win set four to avoid defeat.

They managed to keep the contest competitive until the end, but Syracuse pulled away 25-22 to take home the 3-1 victory.

Gaerte was the most proficient scorer for the Irish, adding 19 more kills to her season total.

Even in the loss, Notre Dame had 48 kills, only one less than Syracuse. For the Orange, Skylar George played a crucial role in the win. She finished the match with a double-double, with 15 kills and 21 digs, both the most for her team.

Now 0-1 in the conference, Notre Dame was looking to rebound in their following matchup with Boston College. The Eagles would be a tough matchup,

holding an 11-2 record with one of their few losses coming to thenranked No. 6 Louisville.

Boston College It was clear that the Irish were not threatened by the challenge as they confidently dominated the first set at home. Maintaining an early lead, Notre Dame impressively held the Eagles to below 10 total points to win 25-9. This effort helped set the tone for the rest of the match.

The second set was much more competitive, but Notre Dame eventually began to pull away and grab the lead. Boston College refused to go down easily, but Gaerte again recorded a kill for the set-winning point, and the Irish took victory 25-21 to lead 2-0.

Notre Dame looked to complete the sweep in the third set. Boston College attempted to hang on with a valiant effort as the set featured a plethora of lead changes.

Ultimately, Notre Dame would again take the set 25-21 to sweep the Eagles 3-0, and move back to 1-1 in conference play.

The Irish dominated the match, recording 41 kills to the Eagles’ 28. Gaerte had another strong performance, contributing 16 kills to that total. Notre Dame now looks to its next contests on the road at Stanford on Oct. 3 and Cal on Oct. 5. These games present an opportunity to move back into the conference win column early in the season.

Contact Harrison Brown at hbrown23@nd.edu

DAILY

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

THE OBSERVER | 9

What is your favorite form of potato?

Have a question you want answered? Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

Ava Adam

Liam Saguico

Bella Zapata

Genesis Lopez

Nicholas Pabijan

“Ghnocci.”

“Mashed.”

“Tater tots.”

“Sweet potato fries.”

“Fries.”

freshman Farley Hall

sophomore Dillon Hall

junior Howard Hall

freshman McGlinn Hall

freshman Carroll Hall

SOCIAL MEDIA POLL

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Have an idea for a poll? Email dstangel@nd.edu

How did SYRs go?

Fun Okay Bad Didn't Go

35.4% 42.4%

6.3% 15.8%

GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer

Notre Dame running back Aneyas Williams celebrates with a teammate after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter to cement the Notre Dame’ Fighting Irish’s victory of 56-13 over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ

A recent poll conducted by The Observer via Instagram asked students how their SYRs went this weekend, referencing a longstanding tradition for which students set up their roommates with dates to attend these themed dorm dances. 42.4% of the poll’s 158 respondents said they had “fun,” 35.4% said they didn’t attend an SYR, 15.8% said their SYR was “okay” and 6.3% said their SYR was “bad.” Perhaps the students who selected “bad” couldn’t figure out how to interpret open-ended themes such as “blue” for Dillon Hall and “C is for Cav” for Cavanaugh hall.

THE NEXT FIVE DAYS

Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Monday Lecture: ‘AI in the Liberal Arts’ Join Beyond the Dome and industry experts in AI. 138 Debartolo Hall 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday Notre Dame men’s soccer vs. Hope The Fighting Irish face off against the Flying Dutchmen.

Alumni Stadium 7 p.m.

Wednesday ‘Philibin & Phriendz’ Join FTT for this showcase of student performances and more.

Philibin Student Theatre, Debartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m.

Thursday Zombie Preparedness Festival Recieve safety information with a Zombie-themed twist.

Outside of Notre Dame Stadium, Gate E 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Friday Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra Concert The orchestra will play excerpts from “Romeo and Juliet.”

Leighton Concert Hall 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

SPORTS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

THE OBSERVER | 11

FOOTBALL

Five key moments: Notre Dame vs. Arkansas

By Tyler Reidy Associate Sports Editor

On Saturday afternoon, No. 22 Notre Dame stormed into Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and annihilated Arkansas. In their 5613 thrashing, the Irish scored on each of their first six touchdown drives, improving to 2-2 on the season. Here’s how Notre Dame called off the Hogs in Fayetteville.

Irish make early stand and answer Notre Dame fans eagerly awaiting the performance of Chris Ash’s defense couldn’t have been pleased with the game’s first few plays. After mobile Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green picked up a first down with a 14-yard run, he found wide receiver O’Mega Blake for a 33-yard gain into Irish territory. However, the Notre Dame defense buckled down, holding Arkansas to a 39-yard field goal on the opening drive.

Notre Dame’s offense then did what that or Arkansas could not, finding the end zone to take the lead. The drive started behind schedule, as an offensive pass interference penalty dug the Irish into a first-and-23 hole. Redshirt freshman quarterback CJ

Carr made up that ground and more, hitting senior wide receiver Malachi Fields and junior running back Jeremiyah Love for gains of 21 and 25, respectively. Junior running back Jadarian Price eventually carried the ball down to the 1-yard line, setting up Love to muscle his way into the end zone for a goal-line touchdown.

Carr carves up Arkansas’ defense Playing in a hostile SEC environment for the first time in career, Notre Dame’s young quarterback showed the opposite of jitters. In command of his offense from the start, CJ Carr finished the day passing for 350 yards and four touchdowns on a completion percentage of 73.3.

On Notre Dame’s second drive, Carr was at his best, completing all three of his passes to lead another touchdown drive. After tosses of 18 yards to senior tight end Eli Raridon and 22 yards to senior wideout Will Pauling, Carr found Love in the leftside f lat from seven yards out.

The elusive running back did the rest, instantly juking a defender after the catch and trotting to the end zone for his second touchdown of the game and a 14-3 Irish lead.

Razorbacks register their only touchdown As the first quarter transitioned to the second, Arkansas brief ly hung with the Irish by finding paydirt. The Razorbacks got there on the ground, running the football 10 times on their way down the field. Top Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. notched a big run early in the drive, covering 21 yards on a third-and-short scenario.

The Razorbacks eventually reached the goal line, where the Irish initially held strong to force a third down from the 1-yard line. Arkansas brought its jumbo package into the game, lining up 362-pound offensive lineman Shaq McRoy as the fullback behind Green.

McRoy took the handoff and scored a touchdown that may have registered on the nearest seismograph. The Razorbacks were still in the game at 14-10, but their defense would soon take them out of it.

Notre Dame’s touchdown train continues Notre Dame again leaned on its air attack to earn its third consecutive touchdown drive. Carr brought the Irish over midfield with a 25-yard heave to Raridon, later setting up shop at the 23-yard line.

From there, he located a wide open Pauling in the middle of the field, and the Wisconsin transfer made the grab for his first Notre Dame touchdown.

The Irish repeated the effort on their next drive, paying off a three-and-out forced by their defense. Love’s 12yard run and Carr’s 24-yard completion to junior wide receiver Jaden Greathouse set the drive in motion, leading the Irish into Razorbacks territory. From the Arkansas 34, Carr set up a throwback screen to Love, who raced down the left sideline before cutting inside for his third touchdown of the first half.

The play, which moved the Irish into a 28-10 lead, unfolded the same way that Love’s receiving touchdown almost exactly a year ago against Louisville did.

Turnovers and touchdowns send Razorbacks packing Arkansas would kick another field goal to remain within two possessions at 28-13, but Notre Dame made that a moot point in a hurry, scoring two more touchdowns before halftime. On the first scoring drive, Notre Dame converted a pair of third downs –— one via Carr’s legs, and another in the red zone on a

Greathouse catch. The Irish also mixed in a fourth-down pickup on a bootleg pass to Pauling. After all that, Love scored for a fourth time in the first half, carrying in a 3-yard touchdown.

With 35 seconds remaining in the half, Arkansas still had a chance to drive down the field and record points before the break, but wide receiver Raylen Sharpe fumbled the opportunity away on the first play of Razorback possession. Junior safety Adon Shuler stripped the football, and senior nickelback DeVonta Smith recovered it to start the Irish on the plus side of midfield. They’d need only two plays to cash in, as junior running back Jadarian Price turned a checkdown pass into a 35yard touchdown, reversing field on the Razorbacks. At halftime, Notre Dame led by a whopping score of 42-13, driving away masses of Arkansas fans, particularly students.

The Irish would tally two more touchdowns for good measure in the second half, Price (16 yards) and sophomore running back Aneyas Williams (17 yards) each scoring on the ground.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

FOOTBALL

Reidy: It’s national conversation time for Carr

By Tyler Reidy Associate Sports Editor

When was the last time you felt this comfortable with and confident in a Notre Dame quarterback? Ian Book? DeShone Kizer?

Brady Quinn?

There certainly has never been a time like this in the Marcus Freeman era. Two years ago, Sam Hartman was a fan favorite, but his play never looked right after the Ohio State game. Riley Leonard became a legend of his own last season, but he did so with toughness and not efficient leadership of the offense.

Four games into his career as a starter, CJ Carr has won my vote of confidence. Each and every week, he’s performed above expectations, steering the Notre Dame offense to an average of 44 points per game. Oh, by the way, he and the Irish have played two clear-cut playoff contenders in Miami and Texas A&M. Many Notre Dame fans have already anointed Carr the next great one, a potential Heisman Trophy winner or a future firstoverall draft pick. And while I completely understand their excitement about No. 13, I don’t

know that I’m there yet. When Carr has his first subpar game and bounces back the next week, I’ll be sold on him as a candidate for true greatness.

For now, here’s what I’ll say about Carr: Where is he in national conversations? I get that, unlike the big names of Arch Manning, John Mateer and Julian Sayin, he’s already lost two games. Can’t we realize, though, that neither of those losses lay at the feet of Carr? Other than one untimely pick at Miami, the freshman has done everything right. What’s even more impressive is that he’s improving every week.

Through Week Five of the college football season, Carr ranks second only to the University of Southern California’s Jayden Maiava in quarterback rating. Last week against Purdue, he finished with what would have been a perfect NFL passer rating of 158.3.

This week against Arkansas, he cleared the 150 benchmark once again, all while playing morning football in an SEC environment.

When you watch Carr play, you can see why his numbers are so impressive. He’s doing things

that many college quarterbacks — let alone freshman college quarterbacks — cannot.

What’s struck me most is his ability to throw the ball to the boundary. Making such throws is not as easy as it might appear on television. Even if you’re slinging the ball to your wide receiver on a five-yard out route, you’ll probably have to cover at least 20 yards of lateral distance to reach the sideline from the middle of the field.

Long story short, it takes some serious arm strength and conviction to consistently throw the ball well to the outside. Carr has displayed both, his second quarter in Fayetteville being the perfect example. At one point, he found senior tight end Eli Raridon in tight zone coverage down the right sideline, seemingly fitting the football into a mailbox. In another instance, he converted a third down and a fourth down by making perfect rollout throws to the boundary.

Carr has also showcased an advanced ability to capitalize on opportunities presented by the defense. After the Purdue game two Saturdays ago, he mentioned

that, before his deep-ball touchdown to junior wide receiver Jordan Faison, he made a signal to Faison. The call was for an out-and-up route, which allowed Faison to beat his man and score against single coverage.

Against Arkansas, it looked as if Carr was using a similar strategy time and time again. Throughout Notre Dame’s 42-point first half, the Razorbacks played an alarming amount of press on the outsides. What did Carr do with that? Take a bunch of deep shots into 1-on-1 coverage.

Sometimes the pass was caught.

Sometimes it fell incomplete.

Once or twice it created a pass interference penalty.

What those shots did more than anything else was open up Notre Dame’s short game. The junior running back duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price became more and more dangerous as the day wore on, ultimately combining for six touchdowns.

Arkansas also backed off on the defensive perimeter, allowing Notre Dame to easily convert a number of third and fourth downs with quick out routes.

Now, I mentioned Love and Price, and they are the one

reason I can understand the lack of national appreciation shown to Carr. Notre Dame’s backfield dynamo was the story of its offense entering the season, and the duo has somehow exceeded expectations, already combining for 16 touchdowns in four games.

Additionally, a lot of people probably want to see how Carr would respond with a mediocre backfield instead of the best one in college football. That’s fair.

Regardless, Carr still deserves more appreciation on a national level. He’s a freshman, for crying out loud. What he’s done through four games is in no way common, especially for Notre Dame quarterbacks.

The great news for Irish fans is that Carr won’t ever care about his Heisman odds or what’s written about him online.

He’s as humble as they come, quick to recognize his teammates in good times and point the finger at himself in bad times.

Notre Dame has a special cat at quarterback, and, if nothing else, he’s South Bend’s best-kept secret.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

SPORTS

10 | THE OBSERVER

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

ND MEN’S SOCCER

Notre Dame men’s soccer falls to SMU

By Ben Hicks

Associate Sports Editor

Notre Dame men’s soccer saw their four-match winning streak come to an end on Saturday night, with the visiting SMU Mustangs walking out of Alumni Stadium with a 2-0 victory. The 21st-ranked Irish fell to 5-2-2 on the season, and also had their unbeaten mark atop the ACC table spoiled.

The Mustangs endured an up-and-down non-conference slate, but also rolled into South Bend with an unbeaten ledger in ACC competition. In just their second season in the nation’s best soccer conference, SMU began their campaign with 1-1 draws against No. 2 Clemson and perennial powerhouse North Carolina.

The Irish struggled to score throughout the first few weeks of the season, but the group has developed some chemistry since and started to rattle off victories.

Their winning streak began on Sept. 12 at Pittsburgh with a 2-0 win to open the ACC slate, before continuing with triumphs over Omaha (3-1), No. 12 Louisville (3-0) and Wright State (3-2).

On the pitch, it was an even first 45 minutes, with both sides splitting possession but failing to create any meaningful opportunities at goal. Coming out of the intermission, it was the Irish who threatened at net, but the Mustangs who broke open the

GABRIELLA MARTIN | The Observer

Notre Dame midfielder Nolan Spicer carries the ball near midfield against Southern Methodist University on Saturday night. The Irish would end up falling to the Mustangs 2-0 at Alumni Stadium, putting them at 5-2-2 on the season. Notre Dame next plays Hope College on Tuesday night.

scoring.

Junior forward Milton Lopez beat Notre Dame sophomore goalkeeper Blake Kelly from just outside the 18-yard box in the 66th minute to put SMU up 1-0. The Irish then had to attack from behind, a strategy they hadn’t had to employ much over the previous two weeks.

The Mustangs’ back line held firm, limiting Notre Dame’s chances to equalize, before sealing the deal with an empty-net 90th-minute winner. The Irish had to push all 11 men into the box for a lastgasp corner kick, which the Mustangs cleared, allowing

Lopez to easily complete his brace with just 28 seconds remaining. The assist was credited to fellow junior forward Mukisa Emmanuel.

Kelly was tested all night long, as he was forced to make six saves during the defeat. SMU outshot the Irish 14-9 throughout the evening, and also outnumbered Notre Dame 6-4 on corner kicks.

Notre Dame’s long homestand now rolls on with two more matches at Alumni Stadium set for this week. The Irish will welcome Division III Hope College to South Bend on Tuesday, before continuing

the ACC slate Friday evening against Virginia Tech.

The Hope Flying Dutchmen are a highly successful Division III program, winning at least 11 games in each of the last two seasons, including an NCA A Tournament appearance last year. They have struggled a bit to start 2025, sitting at just 4-4-1 on the campaign.

Similarly to last year’s contest with Trine in late September, this match will serve as an opportunity for head coach Chad Riley to experiment with different lineups and allow younger players to tally more minutes on the pitch.

The Hokies also have a .500 record, currently boasting a 2-2-3 record with a 0-2-1 mark within the ACC. Much like Notre Dame, Virginia Tech has faced a grueling schedule, collecting early-season results against No. 3 Ohio State (10) and No. 2 Marshall (2-2).

They also hold a rivalry draw against now-No. 12 Virginia (2-2). Both of this week’s Notre Dame matches will kick off at 7 p.m., with streaming on ACCNX only available for the Virginia Tech showdown.

Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu

SMC VOLLEYBALL

Belles volleyball takes first loss of season

By Payton Dymek Sports Writer

This weekend, the Saint Mary’s Belles were handed their first two losses of their season in a tri-tournament involving Manchester University and North Central College.

Manchester jumped out to a strong start against the Belles with three players racking up aces to keep Saint Mary’s offbalance. Trailing by five, the Belles responded with a four point surge mid-set with kills for freshman outside hitter Shannon Rudge and senior middle hitter Grace Braselton, plus an ace from freshman setter Maddie Taitano.

Trailing 16-15, Saint Mary’s was unable to complete the comeback as Manchester went on a 9-3 scoring run to close the set 25-18.

The second set started in more promising fashion as the Belles led 6-2 lead due to unforced errors from Manchester and kills from Taitano, sophomore middle Kalli Lewkowski and senior outside

Delaney Martin. Manchester made a very strong comeback, evening the score to 19-19, after being down 18-10. Tied at 23, Manchester sealed the set 25-23 with an ace and a kill from freshman outside Adelyn Figley to lead 2-0.

The third set was very similar to the second for the Belles, getting a quick 5-0 lead from blocks from junior middle Caroline Carens and kills from Martin.

Manchester and Saint Mary’s would trade off points, struggling to find a convincing lead. With the score even at 22-22, Manchester scored three in a row with the help of an ace to sweep the Belles and hand them the first loss of the season.

Manchester had eight more kills than Saint Mary’s (35 to 27), and aced the Belles 14 times in comparison to just two.

After the disappointing loss against Manchester, Saint Mary’s faced North Central College, where they had a better start.

Jumping ahead to a 7-3 lead, the Belles hoped to bounce back. The run was aided by early kills from Martin and Lewkowski and an ace from Taitano. The Cardinals came back when sophomore setter Sarah Harevy had six-straight aces, but lost the lead with clutch swings from Rudge and Braselton.

A three point run at the end of the set helped the Belles win 25-22 on a 0.536 hitting percentage with 16 kills.

The second and third sets were very similar to how the Belles played against Manchester College, as they let their opponent take an early start to the set, battle to tie the set and ultimately lose the tie at the end. North Central went on a 6-1 run to win the second and cleanly finished 25-20 in the third. Saint Mary’s struggled with control of serving and blocking down the stretch in both sets.

The Belles would completely dominate the fourth set, going on a 10-1 run, while having a better

serving record, offensive balance and more pressure than the Cardinals. The 20-7 lead, turned into a 25-12 fourth set win to force a tiebreaker.

North Central got out to a very strong 8-0 lead behind Harvey’s serving, and the Belles never fully recovered. Despite efforts from Carens, the Cardinals controlled the board, finishing the set with kills from senior opposite Danni Moser and junior middle Lauren Benson. North Central took the final set 15-8 and the match 3-2.

Alma preview Despite their losses over the weekend, Saint Mary’s is heading into their home game this week with very strong numbers behind them. Carens has 168 kills on the season so far and is very close surpassing her season totals from the last two years. With conference play just beginning, this number will be shattered in a matter of a couple of matches. Aside from Carens, the Belles have seen a

fantastic season start from Rudge who currently has 118 kills and 142 digs, making a huge impact on the roster as a first-year.

Although Alma College is 7-9 on their season, they will prove to be a challenge for Saint Mary’s coming off the back-to-back losses. The Scots have talented players including freshman outside Emily Carlin with 130 kills, senior middle hitter Madison Munely with 107 kills and a 0.246 attack percentage and senior Natalie Dutton with 102 kills.

Munely and Dutton will run the offense for Alma have proven to be aggressive at the net. If a ball gets through the Alma block, sophomore libero and defensive specialist Grace Steiner will be there to pick it up and add to her already 254 digs on the season.

First serve against Alma is Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Angela Athletic and Wellness Center.

Contact Payton Dymek at pdymek01@saintmarys.edu

SPORTS

12 | THE OBSERVER

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

FOOTBALL

CJ Carr is keeping Irish playoff hopes alive

By Noah Cahill Sports Editor

When Steve Angeli left through the transfer portal back in April, the choice of Notre Dame’s next starting quarterback seemed like a formality. The combination of junior Kenny Minchey’s play in fall camp and concerns about how ready freshman CJ Carr really was to take the reins made that decision more complicated.

Just over a week before a daunting home opener on the road against Miami, head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff put their full faith in the freshman. Through four games, Carr hasn’t just proven them right. He has given the Irish a whole new ceiling.

Nobody was thinking about the College Football Playoff after Notre Dame lost their first two games by a combined four points and stumbled to an unconvincing victor y against Purdue.

A team that was built on defense in the first three years of the Freeman era looked shaky ranking outside the top 100 in many statistics.

The first three weeks of games led many fans to think ever y game would need to be won down the stretch in a

shootout. But Saturday’s 5613 stomping against Arkansas in Fayetteville, a game f lagged by many as a potential slip-up spot, presented a pretty compelling case that they could do just that. Carr was at the heart of it.

“There’s ver y few people that you come in contact with that are blessed with that leadership, competitive trait.

I’m talking like not normal,” Freeman said about Carr.

“It’s more important for us to win than it is for him to play well. That’s his mindset.

He’s so competitive. I want to do whatever it takes to make sure this offense performs well and we win.”

He put that trait on display in Notre Dame’s relentless offensive display. With Carr at the controls, the Irish totaled 641 yards of total offense at 8.9 yards per play while scoring on eight of their 10 drives. Arkansas was left desperate and dejected, playing much of the second half inside a half-empty Razorback Stadium. He never took his foot off the gas, putting together a near-perfect quarterbacking performance.

The first-year starter eclipsed 300 yards while throwing four touchdowns, matching the freshman record. In his

eyes, though, there was still more he and the offense had to give.

“There are still three or four balls left on the table that we could come down with and that I could make better throws on,” Carr said.

“It can be even more than what we showed.”

At this level, he is on pace to blow the program’s best single-season mark for pass efficiency out of the water.

That is the kind of play that can make a good team great.

But, still, he sees potential for more, a testament to the competitive drive his head coach cited.

Because of his hunger to win at all costs, Carr also knows his place in the offense. He doesn’t have to do it all, not even close. The running back duo of juniors Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price reminded the nation why they are among the best backfields in the countr y, if not the best. They shared 27 carries for 143 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. But while the offense will continue to be built on the run, Carr and this talented wide receiver room can add a layer that fans haven’t seen in years.

Speaking of the

pass-catchers, almost all of them got involved on Saturday. The Irish had eight different players with a reception, four of them hauling in three or more.

“It’s unbelievable,” Carr said when asked about the receiving talent around him.

“Any where you look, there’s guys that will win one-onone matchups.”

Junior Jordan Faison led the way with seven catches for 89 yards, while Carr continued to strengthen his connection with graduate transfer Malachi Fields, who brought in three for 72. Will Pauling’s three catches for 53 yards were his best marks of the season as well. The air raid is not often associated with a Notre Dame offense. That could change this season.

Now sitting at 2-2 on the season, a win like this one makes the first two losses all the more frustrating. Notre Dame has lots of work to do if it wants to run the table and sneak into the 12-team field come December. One thing is certain: Carr’s confidence in their ability to do so will be unwavering.

“It’s kind of not something I really think about, to be honest with you,” Carr said

when asked about his competitive streak. “I feel like growing up, we were never playing with toys or doing things like that. We were always just competing with each other, my dad and I, my brothers. And so it’s just kind of part of who I am, I guess.”

This is who he is. That personality should inspire confidence in Irish faithful. There is no doubt that Carr will rise to the moment.

“It’s my first SEC opponent game, and coming down here, the atmosphere is electric,” Carr said. “The fans were going in those first few drives. It was also really good to quiet them, and after a while the stands started to go away.”

A rare smile crept onto his face as he finished his sentence. Recalling the hostile environment in Fayetteville and how his team tamed it brought him evident joy. His calm, unf lappable demeanor speaks volumes about the belief he possesses, both in himself and his team.

It’s the kind of belief that makes ever y thing still feel possible. With Carr at quarterback, it just might be.

Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu

GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer

Quaterback CJ Carr throws the ball downfield at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium during Notre Dame’s resounding 56-13 victory over Arkansas Saturday. The freshman would throw for 354 yards and four touchdowns during the game, putting Notre Dame at 2-2. Carr has been a bright-spot so-far this season, adding a new spark to the Notre Dame offense.