Sam Hartman and No. 13 Notre Dame put the rest of the college football world on notice Saturday as the Fighting Irish shellacked Navy 42-3 in Dublin
Hartman threw four touchdown passes and appeared to pick up right where he left off from the 2022 season despite transferring to Notre Dame in the offseason. He appeared to waste no time getting acclimated to Marcus Freeman’s offense and came out firing on all cylinders.
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Quarterback Sam Hartman before the Aer Lingus College Football Classic match between the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish and Navy Midshipmen at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Notre Dame got off to a hot start thanks to Audric Estime. The running back scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game and had runs of 11 and 10 yards to really set the tone for the offense. He capped off a 13-play drive with a touchdown from the goal line and Notre Dame never looked back.
Hartman finished 19-for-23 with 251 passing yards and four touchdown passes. Estime had 95 rushing yards on 16 carries and a score. Jadarian Price added a touchdown as well. Jaden Greathouse led the team in receiving with three catches for 68 yards and two scores. Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie also had touchdowns in the win.
WEEK ZERO PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME, NAVY IN IRELAND HIGHLIGHTS RETURN OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Audric Estime runs the ball against the Navy Midshipmen at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Aug. 26, 2023. (Matt Cashore-USA Today Sports)
Hartman transferred from Wake Forest in the offseason. He had 3,701 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes as the Demon Deacons went 8-5. He didn’t play in the final few minutes of Saturday’s game.
Notre Dame’s defense allowed 128 yards in the ground to the Midshipmen’s attack.
Daba Fofana had 56 yards on 15 carries to lead the team. Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai threw only six times. He completed three passes for 43 yards.
The Fighting Irish are back on the winning track when it comes to their openers. Notre Dame dropped its first game of the 2022 season to Ohio State but had won each first game from 2017-2021. Last year, Notre Dame managed to salvage a 9-4 season.
Notre Dame players take the field against Navy in Dublin, Ireland, Aug. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
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It’s the third time Notre Dame has topped Navy in Ireland’s capital. The first time was in 1996 when 12,000 Notre Dame fans packed Croke Park and saw the Fighting Irish win 54-27. It was much of the same in 2012 when 28,000 Fighting Irish fans saw the team win 50-10 at Aviva Stadium.
