Audric Estimé managed to hit a career high in rushing yards Saturday against Central Michigan without the benefit of last week’s secret ingredient — a lightning-delay hot dog.

Lasagna, chicken and shrimp were on the pregame menu, and the Notre Dame junior running back had himself 176 yards rushing and a TD on 20 carries for dessert in a 41-17 home victory for the ninth-ranked Irish (4-0) at Notre Dame Stadium.

The rub was how much coach Marcus Freeman’s team needed that kind of performance against a near-five TD underdog playing its backup quarterback for the entirety of the game. And a week before No,. 6 Ohio State (3-0) rolls into South Bend for a Top 10/primetime showdown.

Notre Dame led just 21-14 at the half.

By game’s end Notre Dame looked dominant in the stat column, and that’s even with a 72-yard Estimé scoring run called back for holding, The Irish had a 578-268 command in total yards, 236-131 in rushing yards — after trailing in that department at the half, and two sacks to none.

But missed run fits and a second straight game of plentiful and sloppy penalties took a little bit of the shone off another offensive milestone — the Irish have strung together five straight games on offense of 40 points or more, dating back to the Gator Bowl, Tyler Buchner’s final start as a Notre Dame quarterback.

Sam Hartman was Sam Hartman again. The Wake Forest transfer QB exceeded the 200-rating mark in pass efficiency for the fourth game in a row. That looked like 16-of-26 in the stat column for 330 yards and three TDs. Two of them came on pass plays of 75 yards or more.

Notre Dame was missing a few key pieces – starters, middle linebacker JD Bertrand, safety DJ Brown and tight end Mitchell Evans – because of injury. But for a team that prides itself on depth and has flexed it often, it doesn’t account for the first-half lull.

The Irish have to feel good about bringing a QB the caliber of Hartman into a matchup like the one with the Buckeyes next weekend, but they’re going to need the surrounding cast to play like they did against NC State last weekend rather than the intermittent excellence on Saturday.

The Irish kept alive the opportunity to change the perception of the program as well as their trajectory into a playoff track by reaching the Ohio State opportunity unbeaten and in the Top 10 of the national rankings.

Sam Hartman continues to play at a high level regardless of opponent and continues to elevate different receivers from week to week. Notable among this week’s ascenders was sophomore wide receiver Tobias Merriweather (3 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD).

Offensive Line. Pass rush. Are there moments that may prove too big?

No. 6 Ohio State visits Notre Dame Stadium next Saturday (7:30 p.m. EDT; NBC/Peacock). It will mark just the sixth time an AP Top 10 team has played in South Bend since the Bush Push game against No 1 USC in 2005.

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