Oct 103 min read

Fighting Irish Look for Complete Win Against Stanford

On Oct. 12, the Stanford Cardinal (2-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) travel to South Bend, Ind., for the 37th meeting in their rivalry with the 11th-ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (4-1). While the Irish lead the all-time series 22-14, the two schools have alternated wins the last three seasons with the Irish winning last in 2023, 56-23. With a 3:30 p.m. EST kickoff, the game poses an interesting obstacle for the Irish as they continue towards a possible birth in the College Football Playoff. Let's look at some keys as the Irish go up against Stanford.

What's on the Line?

For the Irish and head coach Marcus Freeman, the game is the next rung on the ladder toward the CFP. Notre Dame is in a unique position. It is a member of the ACC in all sports except football. The Irish are routinely successful and in the national spotlight. Freeman is 23-8 as head coach for the Irish. With the shocking loss to the Northern Illinois Huskies (3-2, 0-1) in Week 2 still there, Notre Dame has won three straight games by a combined 125-34 score. Currently, with no games remaining against ranked opponents, the Irish need statement wins.

For the Stanford Cardinal, it's a rivalry game and one of the few still active after moving to the ACC. After winning their first ACC game against Syracuse (4-1, 1-1), the Cardinal and head coach Troy Taylor have lost two in a row to conference opponents. The Cardinal will have their quarterback back in Ashton Daniels and have their second game against a ranked opponent in the past three weeks. It is a chance for the Cardinal to stage an upset and possibly derail the season for the Irish.

Who to Watch for the Irish

While playmakers abound for the Irish on both offense and defense, one of the biggest keys will be quarterback Riley Leonard. He is a playmaker who can gain yards with his legs as well as with his arm. Which version will show up is the question. Leonard puts the offense on his back to make plays. He leads the team in rushing with 374 yards and 7 touchdowns. He is a formidable threat. Leonard has completed 65 percent of his passes but only has 3 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. Defensively, linebacker Jack Kiser is a ball hawk who attacks downhill. He's joined by defensive lineman Boubacar Traore, who leads the team in sacks with three and has an interception.

Stanford Cardinal Players to Watch

The offense with Daniels operates well and his rapport with receiver Elic Ayomanor is exciting to watch. Ayomanor leads the team in receiving with 317 yards and is coming off the first 1,000-yard season by a Cardinal since 2018. He's physical and has the athletic ability to make catches in and out of traffic. Running back for the Cardinal has been by committee, while Daniels leads the team in rushing. Micah Ford and Chris Davis Jr. have delivered with runs for chunks of yards. Davis is averaging 7.2 yards per carry on the season as a freshman. Defensively, linebackers Tristan Sinclair and Gaethan Bernadel have been a dynamic duo with 68 tackles and a sack between them.

Irish against Stanford — © Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Key Matchup in the Game

Riley Leonard vs. Ashton Daniels

A matchup between two dual-threat quarterbacks will be fun to watch. While both make plays with their legs as well as their arms, which quarterback uses their weapons the best is going to be key. Both quarterbacks have full control of their offense, but the difference will be who can be the field general and involve his team.