NOTRE DAME CRUSHES STANFORD
The University of Notre Dame football team (6-0) flexed its defensive muscle early and its running prowess throughout the game to dispatch Stanford (2-4) 58-7 on a warm and partly cloudy day in sold-out Notre Dame Stadium. It was a story of explosive plays, suffocating defense and a record-breaking true freshman performance from Jonaz Walton.
The Irish would finish the game with scoring plays of 97, 70, 40, 31 and 30 yards while holding Stanford to 202 total yards and just 58 rush yards.
Running back Jonaz Walton ended the game with a program-record 181 yards by a true freshman on 13 carries (13.9 yards per rush). Walton scored on runs of 97 and 40 yards. CJ Carr didn’t have to do much when the Irish ran for over 300 yards, but was able to complete 70-yard (to Aneyas Williams) and 30-yard (to Elijah Burress) touchdown passes.
The defense was led by Boubacar Traore, who strip-sacked the Stanford quarterback on the first play of the game and also intercepted a pass. Senior captain Drayk Bowen led the Irish with six tackles.
The Irish won the toss, deferred and the Notre Dame defense, as it had against Rice and Purdue, made their presence felt in the first few seconds of the game. Stanford quarterback Davis Warren dropped back on the first play from scrimmage to pass. Boubacar Traore came screaming off the edge, sacked Davis from the blind side and forced a fumble recovered by Jaiden Ausberry at the Stanford 18-yard line.
The Irish would need just three plays to score, as Carr found Micah Gilbert for a first down then Nolan James Jr. skipped into the endzone untouched on a two-yard run.
The defense didn’t waste time getting the offense the ball back. It was three plays and a punt for the Cardinal with Jayden Sanders, making his first start in an Irish uniform in place of an injured Leonard Moore, breaking up a pass on third down.
Notre Dame did not move the ball on that drive, but neither did Stanford on its ensuing drive as both teams went three-and-out.
Taking over at their own 30, Notre Dame would drive 70 yards in 12 plays. Aneyas Williams carried the ball seven times on the drive for 28 yards while Carr found Jaden Greathouse three times for three first downs, the last of which was a touchdown on a quick slant pattern from the three-yard line with 2:55 left in the first quarter.
The Cardinal was able to inch over midfield with two first downs. Sanders stepped up again on a third down play to break up another pass and force a punt. That punt was downed at the Notre Dame one-yard line.
The final play of the first quarter Carr ran a quarterback sneak for two yards. On the first play of the second quarter Jonaz Walton burst through a huge hole on the right side of the line cleared by Cooper Flanagan, Ashton Craig and Guerby Lambert and took off for a 97-yard touchdown run.
Porath missed the point after touchdown attempt to make the score 20-0.
Traore continued his stellar play on the next defensive drive for Notre Dame. He fell back into coverage on third-and-eight and intercepted a pass at the Stanford 37-yard line. Traore returned the ball to the Stanford 19 but Notre Dame’s offense stalled and Porath came on to knock through a 33-yard field goal.
Notre Dame’s defense continued to stymie the Cardinal offense and force another punt. Faison fielded it cleanly and broke to the right for a 37- yard return to the Stanford 39.
Three Nolan James Jr. runs Notre Dame was back in the end zone. James Jr. broke out on third down behind Lambert and Sullivan Absher, clearing out the Stanford line, then Ashton Craig sealing off the linebacker. James Jr. scampered 31 yards for the score.
Yet another Stanford three-and-out led to the next Irish touchdown. Notre Dame received the ball with just over four minutes to play in the half. Carr found Faison for a first down, then one play later Williams lined up in the slot, beat his man off the line and caught a deep pass from Carr. He then maneuvered past the safety for a 70-yard touchdown catch and run.
Notre Dame would enter halftime with a 37-0 lead and 320 yards of total offense, while holding Stanford to 86 total yards in the first 30 minutes.
After the break Notre Dame earned two first downs on their drive but eventually punted away. Stanford would not move the ball again and the Irish offense got to work. James Jr. carried five times, converting two first downs while Carr scrambled for 16 more yards moving to the Stanford 30-yard line.
Carr then dropped back and found Elijah Burress behind the Cardinal defense for his first career touchdown catch from 30 yards away. The Irish were up 44-0 with 4:37 left in the third quarter.
Stanford then broke through for its first score of the game, finding a receiver open for a 52-yard pass down deep into the Irish redzone. The Cardinal then scored on a three-yard pass play at 2:43 of the third quarter.
Stanford then broke through for its first score of the game, finding a receiver open for a 52-yard pass down deep into the Irish redzone. The Cardinal then scored on a three-yard pass play at 2:43 of the third quarter.
Notre Dame answered with Walton carrying the weight again. With the second string offensive line in and with Noah Grubbs at quarterback, Walton broke loose down the right sideline for a 40-yard touchdown run.
That was not the end of the scoring or the Irish running machine. Freshman Javian Osborne ran five times for 31 yards. Walton added 20 yards on three carries. Kedren Young contributed 3 players for 13 yards as Notre Dame marched 90 yards in 16 plays with Osborne earning his first career touchdown on a three-yard run.
The Cardinal tried to score one more time, but Mark Zachary IV intercepted the final Cardinal pass of the game. Notre Dame was able to run out the clock and walk off the field with a 58-7 victory.
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