Stanford Stuns Notre Dame 16-14

Stanford ended Notre Dame's 3-game winning streak with a 16-14 win at Notre Dame Stadium.

NOTRE DAME, IND. - It was ugly. With only a handful of glimmers of tantalizing success, Notre Dame lost 16-14 to Stanford under the lights at Notre Dame Stadium.

After running off three consecutive wins against overmatched opponents, Stanford (2-4) was supposed to be another tomato can for the Fighting Irish (3-3) to punch, only it was the Cardinal that punched harder to snap an 11-game losing streak against FBS opponents that dated back to last October.

Notre Dame, who had back-to-back 200-plus yard rushing games entering the night, mustered just 160 yards on the ground against a Stanford team that ranked 121st in the nation, allowing 207 yards per game on the ground.

The first half of football was slightly less painful to watch than having a root canal without Novocain. Notre Dame punted four times, turned the ball over on downs at the Stanford five on their only serious threat to score in the half and fumbled on their last drive of the game’s first 30 minutes.

Notre Dame went three and out on the game’s opening possession and it looked like Stanford might do the same after a Jon Sot punt. But the Cardinal converted a 3rd and 4 when Tanner McKee hit Michael Wilson for a 13-yard gain. McKee connected with Elijah Higgins for a 19-yard gain on the next paly to move Stanford to the Irish 28. Running back Casey Filkins scored four plays later on 1st and goal from the two to make it 7-0 Stanford.

The Irish punted again on their second drive and got the game’s first big break on Stanford’s next possession when Prince Kollie blocked a punt deep in Stanford territory. Notre Dame took over at the Stanford 20, but failed to score after Jayden Thomas was stopped on an end around on 4th and 2 at the Cardinal five.

A touchdown pass to Michael Mayer on the sixth play of the drive was called back three plays earlier when fellow tight end Mitchell Evans was flagged for being an ineligible receiver downfield.

Notre Dame never threatened to score again in the first half. They punted on their next two possessions and Pyne fumbled with :46 seconds to play in the half, giving the Cardinal the ball at the Irish 45. Joshua Karty connected on a 45-yard field goal six plays later to put Stanford up 10-0 at halftime.

Pyne was 7 of 16 for 59 yards in the first half, while the Irish gained a total of just 106 yards, 47 of it rushing, against the nation’s 109th ranked defense. The Irish were just 1 for 8 on third down. McKee was 15 of 21 for 137 yards to help Stanford to 176 first half yards.

The Fighting Irish forced a Stanford punt to start the second half, but went 3 and out on their own first possession. Stanford then got a 43-yard field goal from Karty to make it 13-0.

Notre Dame’s offense finally broke out of its funk on its next drive. Logan Diggs started it with a 26-yard run, the longest play from scrimmage of the night to that point. Pyne hit Mayer on a 21-yard catch and run four plays later to give the Irish 1st and goal at the 10.

Audric Estime burst around the left side to reach the end zone untouched to put the Irish on the scoreboard. It was just Estime’s third carry of the night after he had rushed just eight yards on two carries in the first half. Two plays earlier, Pyne overthrew Tobias Merriweather near the goal line for the freshman receiver’s first career target.

Stanford drove to the Irish 41 on the ensuing possession and opted to go for it on 4th and 2, but Filkins was stonewalled by Rylie Mills to give Notre Dame the ball at its own 40.

The Fighting Irish took their first lead of the night on Merriweather’s first career reception. Pyne stepped back in the pocket on 2nd and 14 and found the freshman on a deep post. Merriweather had inside position on Stanford safety Kendall Williamson and fell across the goal line as he secured the ball and a 14-13 Notre Dame lead.

The Cardinal regained the lead when Karty hit another 43-yard field goal to make it 16-14. Earlier in the drive, McKee fumbled when JD Bertand punched the ball away from him while the quarterback was going to the ground. The call on the field was overturned by instant replay, even though it looked like the ball was out just before McKee’s knee hit the Notre Dame Stadium turf.

Notre Dame was driving on its next drive, but a costly fumble by Estime with 6:35 to play gave Stanford the ball at its own 21. The Cardinal had forced just two turnovers all season entering the game, but the Estime fumble was the second of the night by the Fighting Irish.

After converting better than 60% of its 3rd downs the previous two games, the Irish were held to just 3 of 12 conversions. Pyne finished his night by going 13 for 27 for 151 yards and a touchdown. Estime and Diggs each ran for 57 yards to lead the team. 

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