How to Watch No. 3 Notre Dame vs. Purdue - College Football on Peacock (Sept. 26)

This week, the Fighting Irish head to Purdue for an in-state rivalry game against the Boilermakers.

By Matthew Jackson Sep 26, 2026, 7:03 AM ET

CJ Carr of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Stanford, California.

Photo: Getty Images

Content availability may vary over time.

Key Takeaways

Notre Dame faces Purdue on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. ET from Ross-Ade Stadium, with the game streaming exclusively on Peacock as part of NBC Sports’ college football coverage.
Notre Dame enters the matchup as the stronger team under head coach Marcus Freeman and is expected to contend for another College Football Playoff appearance, while Purdue continues rebuilding after recent losing seasons.
Key players to watch include Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne and running back Fame Ijeboi, while Notre Dame’s offense is expected to lean on running backs Nolan James Jr. and Aneyas Williams alongside quarterback C.J. Carr.

For decades now, NBC Sports has carried every Notre Dame Fighting Irish home football game of the season. This week, though, as part of continued coverage of both Notre Dame and the Big Ten Conference in college football, NBC Sports will also cover a key road game for the Fighting Irish.

This Saturday, the Irish head to Purdue, where they'll face a Boilermakers squad still trying to climb out of a slump and claim a place as a major threat in the Big Ten conference again. For the No. 3-ranked Irish, it's hopefully a stop on the road to another College Football Playoff trip. For the Boilermakers, it's a shot at a major upset. And you can catch it all live on Peacock.

How do I watch Notre Dame vs. Purdue on September 26?

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Purdue Boilermakers will face off live Saturday, September 26 at 2 p.m. ET, exclusively on Peacock. The game is part of NBC Sports' season-long coverage of both key Big Ten Conference games and Notre Dame football.

Notre Dame vs. Purdue kickoff time

The Irish and the Boilermakers are set to kick off at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 26, live from Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Notre Dame vs. Purdue preview

Ryan Browne, #15 of the Purdue Boilermakers, throwing the football during a game.

Ryan Browne, #15 of the Purdue Boilermakers, during a game between the UCLA Bruins and the Purdue Boilermakers on September 19, 2026 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Photo: Greg Fiore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It's been a rough few years for Purdue fans. The Boilermakers haven't had a winning record since 2022, and last year under first-year head coach Barry Odom, they went 1-11, losing all of their conference games. So far this season they're 1-2, with their only win coming over Indiana State, but there's reason to be hopeful. The offensive looks more productive, and if a couple of things had broken their way two weeks ago, they'd have beaten Wake Forrest. This season of Purdue Football feels like it could be a step up.

That said, it's probably not enough of a step-up to beat Notre Dame. The Irish are looking great under head coach Marcus Freeman, and after narrowly missing a National Championship two years ago and narrowly missing the College Football Playoff last year, they've got something to prove. Expect them to take care of Purdue, but don't rule out the Boilermakers, who could certainly make this a game.

Notre Dame vs. Purdue players to watch

If Purdue has any hope of staying in this game, then the offense needs to be productive both on the ground and in the air, and they need to be able to control the ball. That means quarterback Ryan Browne, who's already passed for more than 1,000 yards this season, will have to be careful with his throws, and it also means that running back Fame Ijeboi needs to have a solid game. He's got six rushing touchdowns and nearly 300 yards already this season, so if he can find seams in the Notre Dame defensive front, the Boilermakers have a better shot at controlling the clock.

The Irish have a good chance of controlling the line of scrimmage on offense, and they've got a great running attack to keep them moving. Running backs Nolan James Jr. and Aneyas Williams won't be the only weapons Notre Dame deploys on Saturday, but if those two can have a big game and keep the ball moving on the ground, quarterback C.J. Carr should have an easy, low-risk day, with room for some big throws down the field.

Who's on the broadcast team for Notre Dame vs. Purdue?

Paul Burmeister will call the action for NBC Sports this weekend, with analysis from Yogi Roth, sideline reporting from Caroline Pineda, and rules analysis from Reggie Smith.

Catch Big Ten and Notre Dame football all season long on Peacock.