#3 Notre Dame vs. Purdue Prediction, Spread, NCAAF Picks – Saturday, September 26

One of the nation’s top teams will look to remain unbeaten in Week 4 of the college football season, as #3 Notre Dame takes on Purdue on Saturday, September 26, at 2:00 p.m. ET on Peacock. Notre Dame is a 27.5-point road favorite and returns a 1.02x payout with a win, via PrizePicks.

Notre Dame has started the year hot, going 3-0 and topping Michigan State 27-10 in its most recent contest. Meanwhile, Purdue is 1-2 out of the gate following back-to-back losses, including a 52-38 defeat to UCLA last week. 

Below, we’ll break down our Notre Dame vs. Purdue prediction and picks for Saturday afternoon's game, including the spread, over/under, and player projections for PrizePicks.

Make your Notre Dame vs. Purdue picks on PrizePicks now!

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#3 Notre Dame vs. Purdue Prediction, Spread, Over/Under – Saturday, September 26

After reaching the 2025 National Championship Game, Notre Dame fell short of the CFP in 2025 despite posting a 10-2 record. The Fighting Irish opened the campaign with back-to-back losses to Miami and Texas A&M and couldn’t compile enough marquee wins to pad their resume. 

The 2026 season has gotten off to a strong start with Notre Dame outscoring its opponents 120-23 in its first three games. Week 3 was the first time the Fighting Irish looked human, as the Spartans kept it close in a 27-10 decision. 

While QB CJ Carr didn’t light the world on fire, the junior signal-caller was efficient, completing 18 of 24 passes for 234 yards against Michigan State. This season, Carr is completing a career-best 72.6% of his passes with 7 TDs. 

In the opening month of the season, Notre Dame’s biggest question mark has been the team’s rushing attack. It’s certainly tough to lose both RB Jeremiyah Love and RB Jadarian Price, who were both selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

RB Nolan James Jr. racked up 121 rushing yards and a TD against Michigan State. James and RB Aneyas Williams have also combined for 6 TDs early in the season.

Purdue hasn’t enjoyed much success since head coach Jeff Brohm left for Louisville after the 2022 season. In fact, the Boilermakers have posted just a 7-29 record over the past three seasons under Ryan Walters and current head coach Barry Odom.

Purdue began the 2026 season with a 44-19 win against Indiana State but has since followed that with back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and UCLA. 

While a 1-2 start is not ideal, the Boilermakers have been electric on offense through three games. Purdue leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (366.7) and records a 0.53 EPA/pass (94th percentile), per Game on Paper.

Junior QB Ryan Browne has thrived out of the gate, completing a career-best 73.3% of his passes for 1,024 yards and 7 TDs compared to just 1 INT. Most recently, Browne threw for 378 yards and 3 TDs in a road game against the Bruins last week.

The dynamic duo of WR Assad Waseem and WR Xavier Townsend has excelled early, with both pass catchers averaging at least 14.1 yards per catch. 

Purdue’s Achilles’ heel has come on the defensive side of the ball, as the Boilermakers have allowed 36.3 points per game (most in Big Ten) and 0.39 EPA/play on early downs (second percentile).

Notre Dame vs. Purdue Spread, Over/Under – Saturday, September 26

Notre Dame enters Saturday’s game as a 27.5-point favorite against Purdue, via PrizePicks.

Here are the full payouts for Notre Dame vs. Purdue, including winner payouts, the spread, and the over/under.

Make your Notre Dame vs. Purdue prediction on the spread on PrizePicks.

PrizePicks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.

Notre Dame vs. Purdue Prediction on Spread – 9/26/26

Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Notre Dame vs. Purdue prediction on the spread for the Saturday, September 26 matchup.

• Notre Dame is 3-0 against the spread in its last three meetings against Purdue, including a 56-30 win in 2025.
• The Fighting Irish have been dominant through three games, allowing the fourth-fewest points per game nationally (7.7). In fact, Notre Dame has only allowed 23 total points this season.
• Notre Dame has given up -0.22 EPA/pass this season (90th percentile).
• Purdue may average a Big Ten-best 366.7 passing yards per game but has faced two teams (Wake Forest & UCLA) that rank near the bottom of their respective conferences in pass defense.
• UCLA has allowed 253.7 passing yards per game (last in the Big Ten), while Wake Forest has surrendered 235.0 passing yards per contest (13th in the ACC).
• Defensively, the Boilermakers have dealt with their fair share of struggles, allowing 0.60 EPA/pass this season (second percentile). 
• QB CJ Carr has led the Fighting Irish to a 0.44 EPA/pass to start the season (89th percentile). 
• Purdue has also surrendered 0.42 EPA/rush on the year (first percentile), while Notre Dame is in the 61st percentile with 0.09 EPA per rush.
• The Fighting Irish are averaging only 3.6 yards per carry as a team, but they could be turning the corner in the ground game. After all, RB Nolan James Jr. rushed for 4.7 yards per carry, 121 yards, and 1 TD against the Spartans last week.

Lock in your Notre Dame vs. Purdue prediction on PrizePicks before kickoff.

Notre Dame vs. Purdue Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 9/26/26

Here are the top Notre Dame vs. Purdue picks to target on Saturday, September 26. Today’s college football picks for PrizePicks include QB CJ Carr and WR Jordan Faison.

Notre Dame QB CJ Carr vs. Purdue: 245.5 Pass Yards

• Carr has completed 72.6% of his passes for 726 yards and 6 TDs across his three games this season.
• The Notre Dame signal-caller has a 37.14 EPA, ranking sixth among collegiate QBs.
• Carr has averaged 9.59 yards/dropback in 2026, which sits 10th among QBs nationally.
• Purdue has yielded a 0.60 EPA/pass in its three games (135th nationally). 

Add CJ Carr + Notre Dame to cover the spread on PrizePicks.

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Notre Dame WR Jordan Faison vs. Purdue: 65.5 Receiving Yards

• Faison has caught 13 passes for 173 yards and 2 TDs in three games this season.
• The senior WR has registered a 68.4% catch rate, hauling in 13 of his 19 targets.
• Faison tallied 5 receptions for 105 yards and a TD against Purdue in 2025.
• Purdue has allowed 239.7 passing yards per contest, which is the third-most among Big Ten teams. 

Pick Jordan Faison + Notre Dame to win on PrizePicks.

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Purdue has been one of the most electric offenses in college football in the early going. However, Notre Dame boasts a stingy defense that has a knack for keeping teams off the scoreboard. Can the Fighting Irish produce another dominant performance on Saturday?

Don’t wait until kickoff — make your Notre Dame vs. Purdue picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

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