Notre Dame exploded for 35 points during a 21-minute stretch and ran away from Stanford in a 49-7 rout. Riley Leonard had three scoring passes and a rushing touchdown in three quarters of work. Jadarian Price and Jeremiah Love also found the end zone on impressive runs through the porous Cardinal defense. After surrendering an early score, Al Golden’s defense completely shut down Ashton Daniels and the Stanford attack.

Coach Marcus Freeman wanted the Fighting Irish to start fast but had to wait a bit for his team to find second gear. A holding penalty killed Notre Dame’s opening drive and the Cardinal responded by marching 63 yards for a quick 7-0 advantage. Leonard’s sharp passes fueled the ensuing Irish possession as the hosts moved downfield. His six-yard burst on a quarterback draw tied it at seven late in the opening period.

Tackle Howard Cross ended the next series by Stanford with a pair of sacks. The second one came on a fourth down play and Notre Dame took over near midfield. Leonard scrambled for one first down before hitting Jayden Thomas on a 15-yard slant for the go-ahead touchdown. The Irish led 14-7 midway through the second quarter and never looked back.

Another failed fourth down try by the Cardinal set up the next Notre Dame touchdown. Leonard was a bit lucky as his errant pass bounced off a Stanford defender into the arms of center Pat Coogan, who rumbled for a first down. Kris Mitchell scored on a five-yard reception a few plays later to make it 21-7 just before halftime.

The third quarter belonged to the Irish. Josh Burnham started the party when he deflected an attempted option pitch by Daniels. Burnham snatched the ball in the air and returned it to the Cardinal 17. Price scored two plays later for a 28-7 margin at the 12:12 mark.

Stanford failed to move the ball and punted it back to Notre Dame. Love capped a long march with a 39-yard romp that left exhausted defenders in his wake. At 35-7, the outcome was no longer in doubt with 6:49 still remaining in the period.

Leonard put a final stamp on his best Irish performance on the next series. His 53-yard strike to Beaux Collins set up another scoring toss to tight end Eli Raridon. The hosts extended their lead to 42-7 with 1:29 on the clock.

Daniels and the Cardinal could not answer as severe weather came through South Bend and stopped the game as the final stanza was about to begin. Later, when the game resumed, the starters for both teams yielded to the reserves. Irish tailback Aenyas Williams closed the scoring on the day with a 19-yard touchdown run.

The Cardinal did not put up much of a fight after the first quarter but Notre Dame looked like a better team than the one we saw in September. Leonard was 16 of 22 for 229 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Notre Dame had only four penalties and outgained Stanford with a balanced attack by 477-200.

The defense was excellent despite the injuries along the front line. Tackle Gabe Rubio played a bit although Jason Onye was not in uniform. Cross and Rylie Mills looked quicker and healthier. The linebackers filled their gaps against the run while the secondary prevented any significant passing yards.

Let’s review the answers to our pregame questions:

• Can Stanford’s young offensive line handle the depleted Irish defensive front? No, the Irish dominated after the opening series.
• Will Notre Dame’s cornerbacks contain Ayomanor and the Cardinal receivers? Yes. Ayomanor had three catches for a mere 16 yards. In total, Stanford had ten completions for only 87 yards.
• Which team will be more successful on third down? The Irish won that battle but the margin was even greater on fourth down tries.
• Will the Irish passing game improve following the bye week? Leonard threw several crisp passes but also had a few head scratchers. His deep throws still make an audible quacking sound.
• Can Notre Dame run the ball on the Cardinal front seven? Definitely. Six players had 20 yards or more on the way to 229.
• Which defense will be able to create turnovers? Both had one outstanding play to create a turnover. Stanford’s Jshawn Frausto-Ramos stole the ball from Collins while Burnham returned the favor against Daniels.
• Can Notre Dame’s special teams avoid crucial mistakes? James Rendell shanked his only punt of the day and kicker Mitch Jeter left the game with an undisclosed injury. Stanford’s Tiger Bachmeier committed a cardinal sin (pun intended) by muffing a kickoff at his own four yard line.
• Will Daniels or Riley Leonard win the matchup of the quarterbacks? Daniels had one long scramble on Stanford’s only scoring drive but was ineffective the rest of the way.

If Notre Dame’s offense can continue to improve while the defense remains consistent, they should not be seriously threatened for the next several weeks. That is hardly a given based on their exploits during the first half of the season. Still, several young players have become more comfortable in expanded roles due to the injuries that sidelined veteran starters. The balance on offense was encouraging but the Cardinal were not exactly a formidable test. Next week, Georgia Tech should provide a more accurate measure as to the ceiling of this Irish team.

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