Sep 30, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal and NFL former quarterback Andrew Luck stands on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stanford football names alum Andrew Luck its GM

Stanford has done what the Indianapolis Colts couldn’t do. Lure Andrew Luck out of retirement.

The university announced Saturday that Luck has been named the general manager of Stanford football, effective immediately. He will oversee all aspects of the program at his alma mater.

“I am a product of this University, of Nerd Nation; I love this place,” Luck, 35, said in a team news release. “I believe deeply in Stanford’s unique approach to athletics and academics and the opportunity to help drive our program back to the top. Coach (Troy) Taylor has the team pointed in the right direction, and I cannot wait to work with him, the staff, and the best, brightest, and toughest football players in the world.”

Luck was with the Cardinal from 2008-11, leading the team to a 31-7 record as its starting quarterback after taking a redshirt in his first season. Before becoming the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Colts, Luck finished second in Heisman Trophy voting twice (2010-11) and won the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Foundation Player of the Year Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award following the 2011 season.

Indianapolis pushed future Hall of Fame member Peyton Manning aside to make room for Luck, who was a four-time Pro Bowl selection in six seasons before shocking the Colts and retiring just before the 2019 season.

Luck earned his bachelor’s degree in architectural design in 2012 and 11 years later, his master’s in education., from Stanford.

“Andrew Luck exemplifies the Stanford student-athlete,” said Jonathan Levin, Stanford’s president. “I’m excited he’s returning to campus to help lead our football program and ensure that our student-athletes achieve excellence in the changing collegiate athletics environment.”

Luck be counted to work with Taylor, who will enter his third year as head coach in 2025, on recruiting and roster management. In addition, he’ll run much of the business side of things, including fundraising, sponsorships, alumni relations and student-ahtlete support.

“He also brings a deep understanding of the college football landscape and community, and an unparalleled passion for Stanford Football,” athletic director Bernard Muir said. “I could not think of a person better qualified to guide our football program through a continuously evolving landscape, and I am thrilled that Andrew has agreed to join our team. This change represents a very different way of operating our program and competing in an evolving college football landscape.”

Stanford finished the 2024 season on Friday with a 34-31 loss to San Jose State. The Cardinal were 3-9 overall and 2-8 as a first-year member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Nick Nash (3) makes a catch in front of Boise State Broncos cornerback A'Marion McCoy (7) in the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

San Jose State WR Nick Nash out to test Stanford DBs

San Jose State’s Nick Nash enters Friday’s regular-season finale at home against Stanford with a national-best 96 catches.

The Cardinal may have to start three freshmen in the secondary after injuries ravaged their depth during last Saturday’s 24-21 Big Game loss to California.

Stanford coach Troy Taylor, finishing his second year on the job, is hopeful experiences like last week’s and the one his team may endure this week will strengthen his defensive backs room in years to come.

“You gain stuff from experience,” Taylor said. “These (freshmen defensive backs) went through trial by fire. Maybe a little more seasoning would’ve been in their best interest but they knew they had to step up because of injuries.”

Those fresh faces may have to endure their toughest on-the-job training yet.

Nash, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award given to the nation’s best wide receiver, caught a touchdown pass in the team’s first 10 games. He was kept out of the end zone during last week’s 27-16 loss by a combination of good UNLV defense and horrific weather that made throwing a sub-optimal option.

Nash has 1,291 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, one shy of the school’s single-season record for receivers. He leads FBS in catches and touchdowns while ranking second in yardage. The former quarterback still appears to have plenty of ceiling, too, as he’s only played receiver for two years.

“I think I’m an underdog,” he said. “I wasn’t majorly recruited and then seeing where I am now and always believing in myself. … I worked so hard to get to this point.”

Nash’s work has helped the Spartans (6-5) qualify for a bowl in coach Ken Niumatalolo’s first season. Meanwhile, the Cardinal (3-8) can only hope to jump into the offseason with a win that would snap a stretch of seven losses in eight games.

Stanford leads the teams’ all-time series 52-14-1, although they haven’t played since the Cardinal’s 34-13 victory in 2013. This will be the first time San Jose State has hosted this game since 2006.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) carries the ball against the Stanford Cardinal during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal scores twice late to edge Stanford in Big Game’s ACC debut

Fernando Mendoza connected with Jonathan Brady for a pair of touchdown passes in the final 10:09 on Saturday afternoon, rallying California to a 24-21 victory over rival Stanford in the annual Big Game’s first Atlantic Coast Conference edition in Berkeley, Calif.

Mendoza threw for 299 yards and three scores, the first of which was a second-quarter, 16-yard toss to Trond Grizzell for Cal’s only TD in the game’s first three quarters as Stanford built a 21-10 lead.

But Mendoza found Brady for a 30-yard TD to cap a 71-yard drive with 10:09 to play to get the Golden Bears (6-5, 2-5 ACC) within five, then hit his wideout again for a 22-yard score that put Cal on top with 2:40 to go.

A two-point shovel pass from Mendoza to Jaydn Ott increased the margin to 24-21, before the Cal defense forced a turnover on downs on Stanford’s ensuing possession, giving the host Golden Bears command of the game.

Mendoza’s late accuracy left him 25-for-36 without an interception, helping the Golden Bears gain bowl eligibility with a sixth win.

Brady finished with five catches for 64 yards and his two scores, while Grizzell had four catches for a game-high 70 yards and the first-half TD. Mendoza also was Cal’s leading rusher with 11 carries for 35 yards.

Stanford dominated the early going, taking a 14-0 lead in the 14th minute of the game on 1- and 2-yard plunges by Stanford backup quarterback Justin Lamson.

Seeking to end a three-game losing streak in the rivalry, the Cardinal (3-8, 2-6) created a two-touchdown cushion midway through the third quarter when running back Micah Ford flipped a 2-yard TD pass to Emmett Mosley V on a fourth-down trick play. Emmet Kenney’s PAT made it 21-7.

Ryan Coe hit a 46-yard field goal with 47 seconds left in the third period, getting Cal within 21-10 and setting up the fourth-quarter rally.

Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels went 14-for-26 for 139 yards with no interceptions and added a game-high 63 yards on 21 rushes. Mosley hauled in six of Daniels’ 14 completions for 63 yards.

The Stanford defense sacked Mendoza six times.

Cal outgained the visitors 371-259, but had the game’s only turnover, a fumble on a kickoff return.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Isaac Brown (25) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

No. 19 Louisville hopes to avoid ‘let up’ at Stanford

No. 19 Louisville and host Stanford may seem like a mismatch when the programs get together Saturday, but Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm knows his team can’t rest on their laurels.

The Cardinals (6-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) were off last week after beating Clemson 33-21, handing the Tigers a rare night home loss two weeks ago.

That victory propelled Louisville back into the polls and into the first College Football Playoff rankings last week. The selection committee bumped the Cardinals up from No. 22 to No. 19.

Louisville has won two straight since a 52-45 home loss to No. 9 Miami on Oct. 19. While the Cardinals’ best football of the season has come in their last two games, Brohm told reporters Monday that the off week came at a good time for key players recuperating from injuries to recover and gain their second wind.

They get back to the field and face a Cardinal (2-7, 1-5) squad reeling from six straight losses but also coming out off their bye week. Louisville is a 20.5-point favorite.

“Anytime you have a big win, you can’t have a let up, and if you do, you’re going to get beat,” Brohm said. “That’s the way college football works now. It’s more prevalent now than even in years past.”

One concern Brohm expressed about Stanford is its starting quarterback, Ashton Daniels. In the Cardinal’s last game, a 59-28 loss at North Carolina State on Nov. 2, the junior ran for a career-high 129 yards and his first two rushing touchdowns on 11 carries.

Mobile quarterbacks have posed a problem for the Louisville defense this season. Five have run for at least 50 yards, and two have gone for at least 100 yards.

Daniels may get help from freshman running back Cole Tabb, who made his debut against the Wolfpack and gained 72 yards on 11 carries. Stanford coach Troy Taylor told reporters Tuesday that the 5-foot-8, 190-pound four-star recruit impressed him with his elusiveness.

Stanford’s defense has taken a pounding in its first season in the ACC. The Cardinal rank next-to-last, giving up 412.9 yards a game, and the 34.6-point scoring average is the league’s worst.

Louisville’s offense, meanwhile, has big-play potential. Nationally, the offense is the 19th-best in the country, averaging 449.6 yards per game while only averaging 65.2 plays a game, making it 83rd among Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Freshman running back Isaac Brown averages 7.5 yards per carry, and Ja’Corey Brooks, a senior transfer from Alabama, ranks 13th nationally with 841 receiving yards. Both are on pace to give Louisville a 1,000-yard rusher and receiver in the same season for the fifth time in school history.

Stanford defensive lineman Tobin Phillips told reporters Tuesday that Louisville’s skill players have stood out this season.

“Their offensive line is long, and they do their job really well,” Phillips said. “But they do lean on their skill guys, so I think we have to try to take advantage of their offensive line and try to prevent as many big plays from occurring.”

Defensively, Louisville expects Benjamin Perry to play on Saturday. The linebacker/safety left the Clemson game in an ambulance and wore a neck brace after trying to make a tackle in the first quarter.

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (16) warms up during the first quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

CJ Bailey, NC State hope to pick on Stanford’s pass defense

Stanford will aim to snap a five-game losing streak on Saturday when it travels to Raleigh, N.C., for its first-ever meeting with North Carolina State, which is coming off a bye.

The last time NC State (4-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) was in action was Oct. 19, when it went to the West Coast and beat Cal 24-23. That game was the fourth start for true freshman quarterback CJ Bailey, who threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns in the first conference win for the Wolfpack this season.

Bailey entered the year backing up graduate transfer Grayson McCall, but the former three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year announced last week that his football career is over. McCall, who played parts of five seasons at Coastal Carolina before joining NC State, was carted off the field on Oct. 5 after a play in which his helmet popped off while being hit by three Wake Forest defenders. It was the second concussion McCall suffered this season.

“I have battled injuries my whole career, but this is one that I cannot come back from,” McCall wrote in a post on his Instagram, adding that “brain specialists” suggested he “hang the cleats up.”

Even though he is no longer playing, McCall aims to be a coach someday and still is spending time with NC State’s football team every day, filling a role as a valuable mentor to Bailey.

“I’ve been better because of him. I feel like I’ve grown out of my title as a freshman because of him,” Bailey said of McCall. “He’s been a great leader. I try to mimic everything. I’ve been watching him and observing. He’s been in my ear and helping me out.”

Bailey passed for at least 300 yards passing in each of his past two games, making him the first NC State freshman to do that since Philip Rivers.

It’s likely that Bailey could have another impressive day under center, as he and the Wolfpack face a Stanford team that ranks 112th out of 133 FBS teams in scoring defense — allowing 31.5 points per game. The Cardinal (2-6, 1-4) also have the 12th worst passing defense in the country, as they are allowing 270.9 yards per game through the air.

Stanford is coming off a 27-24 home loss to Wake Forest in which the Demon Deacons connected on the go-ahead field goal with less than two minutes to play. A potential game-winning drive by the Cardinal was ended by an interception with 22 seconds left.

Quarterback Ashton Daniels led Stanford in rushing and passing that game with 268 yards of total offense.

Stanford’s struggles are not for a lack of aggression and experimentation. The Cardinal has gone for it on fourth down 25 times, tied for the fifth most in the FBS.

“When you’re trying to build a program, all the losses hurt, but you have to respond and be resilient,” second-year Stanford coach Troy Taylor said.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2024; Stanford, California, USA;  Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) breaks a tackle by Stanford Cardinal linebacker Tristan Sinclair (8) during the second quarter fr a first down at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Matthew Dennis kicks winning FG to lift Wake Forest over Stanford

Matthew Dennis kicked a 23-yard field goal with 1:48 to play and Wake Forest’s defense came up with another turnover to preserve a 27-24 victory at Stanford in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday.

Nick Andersen intercepted Ashton Daniels’ pass with 22 seconds left after Stanford moved into Wake Forest territory. The pick clinched the outcome, giving the Demon Deacons (4-4, 2-2 ACC) back-to-back road triumphs going into an open week. Hank Bachmeier threw for three touchdowns in a return to his home state.

Bachmeier was 20-for-31 for 245 yards with an interception and teammate Demond Claiborne rushed for 127 yards on 23 carries.

Stanford (2-6, 1-4) has a five-game losing streak, with three of those at home.

Daniels threw for 214 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. Stanford committed four turnovers, with the Demon Deacons scoring touchdowns after the first two.

Wake Forest’s winning drive was set up by Taylor Morin’s 36-yard punt return to midfield. The Demon Deacons used 10 plays before the field goal for the final points in a game they never trailed.

After the Cardinal made a goal-line stand to stay within 24-17, Stanford marched 99 yards in 15 plays to tie the game on Daniels’ 16-yard pass to Sam Roush with 8:41 remaining.

Wake Forest took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with Bachmeier throwing 30 yards to Micah Mays Jr. and 39 yards to Tate Carney.

The Cardinal got even about six minutes into the second quarter. Justin Larson ran in from 1 yard out and then Tevarua Tafiti returned Bachmeier’s fumble 44 yards for a touchdown.

The Demon Deacons went back ahead on their next possession on Dennis’ 35-yard field goal and boosted the edge to 24-14 on Bachmeier’s 18-yard pass to Morin just five plays after Andersen recovered a Stanford fumble.

Stanford closed within 24-17 by halftime on Emmet Kenney’s 40-yard field goal. He missed from 46 yards away in the first quarter.

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2024; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Hank Bachmeier (9) throws a looks to pass the ball against the Connecticut Huskies in the second quarter at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Wake Forest treks to Stanford, shooting for .500 mark

Urgency exists for Wake Forest to make the most of a trip to the West Coast.

The Demon Deacons (3-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) take on host Stanford (2-5, 1-3) on Saturday. Wake Forest has won two of its last three games but must continue climbing out of an early hole to approach bowl eligibility.

“For us, to get a fourth win and go out there and get it before the bye week is very important if we want to get where we want to get,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said.

Stanford will play on homecoming a week after getting crushed at home to nationally ranked SMU. The Cardinal, losers of four straight, also got blown out by Clemson, which is now in the Top 10.

“I look at Stanford as a good team with a hard schedule,” Clawson said. “Sometimes your record is a function of what your schedule is.”

Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier will play in his home state. His brother Tiger Bachmeier is a Stanford receiver.

But the big question involving the Cardinal might be at quarterback. Freshman quarterback Elijah Brown of Stanford came on in relief in the SMU game, throwing for a touchdown and two interceptions. He took the place of Ashton Daniels, a junior.

“We’re not sure what quarterback we’re going to see,” Clawson said.

Stanford coach Troy Taylor said Brown has been making strides.

“We kind of brought him along,” Taylor said. “He has had a lot of reps through fall camp. I think he’ll continue to feel more comfortable.”

Stanford’s 133 yards per game on the ground aren’t enough, in Taylor’s opinion.

“We’ve got to run the football to help our quarterbacks,” he said.

Stanford has been aggressive on offense, attempting 24 fourth-down plays (second most nationally) and converting 12 times.

Wake Forest has posted narrow victories in its only two road outings, rallying past North Carolina State 34-30 and holding off Connecticut, 23-20. Stanford is 1-3 at home.

“We have a tough stretch of really good opponents,” Taylor said. “We have another opportunity to play another home game.”

Wake Forest is trying to win for the 15th time in its last 20 October games, dating to the 2020 season.

This will be the third all-time meeting between the teams, which each won at home when they met in 2009 and 2010 nonconference games. Stanford’s victory was a 68-24 romp in the rematch.

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs safety Isaiah Nwokobia (23) gestures after intercepting a pass against the Stanford Cardinal during the fourth quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

No. 21 SMU strikes early, scores big in rout of Stanford

Kevin Jennings threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns, including an 87-yarder to Moochie Dixon on the first offensive play of the game, and 21st-ranked SMU remained unbeaten in Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 40-10 shellacking of host Stanford on Saturday night.

LJ Johnson Jr. added two rushing scores for the Mustangs (6-1, 3-0), who have won four in a row since a narrow loss to BYU. They have run up 182 points in the process.

Heralded freshman Elijah Brown came off the bench and threw for 153 yards in his first extensive playing time for the Cardinal (2-5, 1-3), who lost their fourth in a row.

Jennings followed his connection to Dixon with 45- and 38-yard scores to Key’Shawn Smith and RJ Maryland, respectively, before the end of the first quarter, giving the Mustangs a 21-0 lead just 13:13 into the schools’ first-ever ACC meeting.

A Mitch Leigber interception at the SMU 14 and Brown’s 18-yard TD strike to Elic Ayomanor three plays later gave Stanford life with 6:39 left in the half.

But SMU responded immediately with a 59-yard drive culminated by a Johnson 5-yard score, and when Collin Rogers drilled a 51-yard field goal on the final play of the second period, the visitors rolled into the break with a 31-7 cushion.

Jennings had 278 of his 322 passing yards by halftime as part of the Mustangs’ 364-77 dominance in total yards in the first two periods. He finished 17-for-27 with the one interception.

Stanford did the game’s only scoring of the third period on a 42-yard field goal by Emmet Kenney. But SMU ran up its 30-point margin of victory over the final 11:40 when Cale Sanders Jr. sacked Brown for a safety and Johnson plowed in from 2 yards out.

Brashard Smith led a balanced running attack with 67 yards on eight carries for the Mustangs, who outrushed the hosts 179-11 en route to a 501-169 advantage in total yards.

Each team had two turnovers in the schools’ first meeting since the 1935 Rose Bowl.

Brown, who replaced Ashton Daniels at quarterback late in the first quarter, went 16-for-32 for 123 yards with two interceptions.

Stanford’s Sam Roush was the game’s top pass-catcher with six catches for 45 yards.

–Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA;  Southern Methodist Mustangs running back Brashard Smith (1) runs the ball against Louisville Cardinals defensive back Tamarion McDonald (12) during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

No. 21 SMU hits the road for ACC game vs. Stanford

Having successfully dealt with two of their new rivals to the east, SMU turns its attention west when the No. 21 Mustangs make their first Atlantic Coast Conference trip to Stanford on Saturday night.

Riding high off a bye following a 34-27 win at then-No. 22 Louisville, SMU (5-1, 2-0 ACC) will face an opponent it hasn’t seen since the 1935 Rose Bowl, a game Stanford won 7-0 to hand the Mustangs their only loss that season.

Despite the defeat, SMU was declared the 1935 national champion by two prominent ranking methods — a mathematical points formula known as the Dickinson System and a strength-of-schedule calculation known as the Houlgate System.

The Mustangs haven’t won a widely recognized national title since.

The Associated Press poll made its debut in 1936.

Looking ahead to a remaining schedule that doesn’t include either ACC frontrunners Clemson or Miami and features just one other currently ranked team (No. 20 Pittsburgh), SMU will be seeking its fourth straight win against a Stanford squad that has lost three in a row.

The Mustangs head west as a ranked team. They moved into the rankings after the Louisville victory prior to having a bye. They moved up four spots in Sunday’s poll.

Being ranked is something coach Rhett Lashlee has cautioned his guys has its positives and negatives.

“We’ve had a week to hear about our press, our ranking and all that. And that’s great — our guys have earned it,” Lashlee said. “But if we don’t stay present, we don’t focus on the task at hand when we go to Stanford, then we’re going to be that statistic that they played well, but then they fell off.”

The Mustangs have averaged 40.8 points in their first six games, led by running back Brashard Smith, who currently is tied for second in the ACC with eight touchdowns, seven of which have been on the ground.

SMU will be looking for its eighth straight road victory.

Meanwhile, Stanford (2-4, 1-2) has allowed 30.8 points per game, including a season-high in a 49-7 drubbing at the hands of Notre Dame last week.

Interestingly, the game matches teams that like to play multiple quarterbacks.

After beginning the season with Preston Stone as their primary signal-caller, the Mustangs have gradually transitioned to sophomore Keith Jennings, who threw for a season-best 254 yards in a win over Florida State on Sept. 28 before bettering that with 281 yards in SMU’s most recent game against Louisville.

Stone threw just one pass in the Louisville game, but it was a big one — a 10-yard touchdown to Key’Shawn Smith that gave SMU an early lead.

Stanford coach Troy Taylor, a former collegiate quarterback at Cal, has been impressed by both guys and the game plan they share.

“Real explosive on offense. Fast tempo. They have two quarterbacks who can play,” Taylor observed. “You have to be able to really handle them tempo-wise, one of the fastest in the country. So be ready for their tempo.”

The Cardinal began ACC play with a 26-24 win at Syracuse on Sept. 20, but they have since lost conference games to Clemson and Virginia Tech by a total score of 71-21.

Stanford used both its quarterbacks — Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson — in last week’s loss to Notre Dame. Daniels returned after missing the Cardinal’s loss to Virginia Tech with a leg injury.

The Cardinal’s most productive offensive player of late has been freshman running back Chris Davis Jr., who has gone from three to eight to 10 carries in his last three games. His 233 rushing yards for the season rank second on the team behind Daniels’ 292.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) runs for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Riley Leonard (4 TDs), No. 11 Notre Dame steamroll Stanford

Riley Leonard completed 16 of 22 passes for a season-high 229 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score, and No. 11 Notre Dame cruised to a 49-7 win over Stanford on Saturday in South Bend, Ind.

Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams rushed for one touchdown apiece for Notre Dame (5-1), which won its fourth straight game. Kris Mitchell, Jayden Thomas and Eli Raridon each caught one touchdown pass from Leonard.

Ashton Daniels completed 8 of 13 passes for 74 yards and carried the ball 14 times for 42 yards for Stanford (2-4). Justin Lamson scored the team’s lone touchdown.

The game was delayed for more than an hour because of inclement weather in the area. Players headed to their locker rooms and fans cleared the stands between the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter because of nearby lightning.

Mother Nature was about the only thing that could pause the Notre Dame offense. Stanford opened the scoring with Lamson’s 1-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter before the Fighting Irish reeled off 49 points in a row.

Leonard helped Notre Dame establish a 21-7 lead at the half. He scored on a 6-yard run, connected with Thomas on a 15-yard touchdown and hit Mitchell for a 5-yard score.

The Fighting Irish added three more touchdowns in the third quarter to pull ahead 42-7. Price scored on a 16-yard run, Love broke open a 39-yard touchdown run, and Leonard notched his third touchdown pass of the game with a 5-yard strike to Raridon.

After play resumed, Notre Dame increased its lead to 49-7 with 9:17 remaining. Williams scored on a 19-yard run to finish an 11-play, 60-yard drive.

Fighting Irish backup quarterback Steve Angeli took over for Leonard with the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. Angeli completed 2 of 5 passes for 19 yards.

Likewise, Stanford turned to Lamson at quarterback after the delay. He went 2-of-4 for 13 yards.

–Field Level Media