Full Breakdown
Notre Dame Dominates Stanford 58-7, Extending Double-Digit Win Streak
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Game Summary
The No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish routed unranked Stanford 58-7 at Notre Dame Stadium. A forced fumble by DE Boubacar Traore on the opening defensive play set up a quick touchdown. Notre Dame scored on eight of eleven offensive possessions and never trailed. Stanford’s lone score came late in the third quarter on a three-yard pass from QB Davis Warren to Benji Blackburn.
Key Performers
- Jonaz Walton (Freshman RB) – 13 carries, 181 yards (13.9 yd/carry) and two touchdowns, including a 97-yard run, the third-longest offensive play in stadium history.
- Nolan James Jr. (Sophomore RB) – 10 carries, 73 yards and two touchdowns.
- Aneyas Williams (Junior RB) – 7 carries, 28 yards and a 70-yard touchdown reception, the first 70-plus-yard score for Notre Dame since 1993.
- C.J. Carr (QB) – 14-of-20 passing for 181 yards and three touchdowns; five carries for 41 yards, no interceptions.
- Boubacar Traore (DE) – Strip-sack, forced fumble, interception and tackle for loss, accounting for two turnovers.
- Drayk Bowen (LB) – Led the defense with six tackles; safety Luke Talich added five.
Statistical Highlights
- Notre Dame: 361 rushing yards, 181 passing yards, 542 total yards.
- Averaged 9.0 yd/play through three quarters; outgained Stanford 320-86 in the first half.
- Stanford: 0-for-7 on third-down attempts in the first half, did not cross the 47-yard line until mid-third quarter.
- Victory marked Notre Dame’s 16th consecutive double-digit win, tying the program’s longest streak and trailing Army’s 21-game run (1944-46).
- Stanford’s road losing streak extended to 14 games, matching the nation’s longest.
Background & Context
Notre Dame entered 6-0, having beaten BYU, Rice, Michigan State, Purdue and North Carolina. The win pushed the Irish’s overall streak to 16 games, all by double digits, and improved their Legends Trophy record to 26-14, with a 38.8-point average margin in the last four meetings.
Stanford was 2-4, ranked near the bottom of FBS in offense (131st) and defense (134th). Their recent losses included a 57-3 defeat to Wake Forest, leaving them outscored 115-10 over the last two games.
Impact & Outlook
The performance reinforces Notre Dame’s top-ten standing and bolsters its playoff résumé. The Irish next face eighth-ranked BYU, a test that will gauge whether early-season dominance can continue against elite competition.
Defensively, Notre Dame showed depth despite the absence of cornerback Leonard Moore (concussion) and linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (thumb injury). Special-teams missed an extra point for the first time, a rare blemish in an otherwise flawless game.