SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — C.J. Carr threw for four touchdowns and No. 3 Notre Dame overpowered visiting Rice early on the way to a 52-0 victory on Saturday.
Carr, an early-season Heisman contender, connected on 16 of 20 passes for 253 yards before being replaced by Noah Grubbs in the third quarter.
Notre Dame outgained Rice 478-128 in total yards.
The Owls suffered their worst loss since a 58-0 loss to Texas in 2021.
The Fighting Irish (2-0) only needed 14 seconds to take the lead. Safety Adon Shuler hammered Rice running back Davis Lane, forcing a fumble that Boubacar Traore turned into a 24-yard scoop-and-score for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame cashed in on two more Rice fumbles in the first half on the way to a 42-0 halftime lead. The Fighting Irish ended up forcing four turnovers that they turned into 21 points. Notre Dame also punished Rice with eight tackles for loss.
Jordan Faison caught four passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Notre Dame receiving corps. Twelve different receivers hauled in passes.
Rice (1-1) was led by quarterback Jacurri Brown, who was 8 of 12 for 64 yards.
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Notre Dame defensive lineman Boubacar Traore (5) recovers a fumble and returns it for a touchdown against Rice during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Paul Barnick)
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) throws before an NCAA college football game against Rice, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Paul Barnick)
NEW YORK (AP) — Elena Rybakina won her first U.S. Open title and punctuated her climb to the top of women’s tennis by beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday.
Rybakina had already been guaranteed to replace Sabalenka at No. 1 in the rankings next week and for good measure took the U.S. Open title that Sabalenka had won the previous two years.
It was the third Grand Slam title for Rybakina and the second this year — both against Sabalenka on hard courts. She opened the season by beating Sabalenka for the Australian Open title.
This time, she stopped Sabalenka’s 19-match winning streak at the U.S. Open, where she hadn’t lost since falling to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
Rybakina earned $5.5 million, the largest prize in Grand Slam history, and tied Sabalenka and French Open winner Mirra Andreeva with a tour-high three titles this season.
Sabalenka took home $2.8 million but it was clear how little that meant to her, as she smashed her racket after a brief hug with Rybakina at the net.
Sabalenka was trying to become the first person since Serena Williams from 2012-14 to win three in a row at Flushing Meadows.
Rybakina dethroned the champ without even having her best stuff. The WTA Tour leader in aces got less than half of her first serves in but instead put Sabalenka under constant pressure with a strong return game, racking up 12 break chances and converting three, which was all she needed.
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Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, reacts during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, right, returns the ball to Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, left, during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Sydney Schaefer)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, right, embraces Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, after Rybakina won the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, gestures after she won the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, returns the ball to Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, follows through on a shot to Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, gestures after she won her match against Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, serves the ball to Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
