Notre Dame raced out to a 21-7 lead in the initial 16 minutes of play and coasted to a 41-17 victory over the gutsy Central Michigan Chippewas on Saturday afternoon. Audric Estime and Sam Hartman led the Fighting Irish with big plays that proved to be too much for the visitors. The final margin masked a long period of mid-game mediocrity by Notre Dame before a strong finish soothed the growing anxiety among the fanbase.
Estime ran for 176 yards and a touchdown while Hartman threw for 330 yards and three scores. The Irish signal-caller also ran for a score.