This game could be looked at for one thing: the arrival of Jonaz Walton. Last week he was key in the rain in upending North Carolina, but this week was his star-making moment. Sitting at their own three-yard line, Notre Dame handed the ball to Walton, who in one move broke right and exploded for a 97-yard touchdown run (the longest for the Irish since Jeremiyah Love's 98-yard jaunt in a 2024 playoff game against Indiana).

The Fighting Irish set the tone for what would be an extremely dominant performance on the first play of the game, as Boubacar Traore came unblocked for the strip-sack on Davis Warren, which led to a score less than two minutes into the contest. They would never look back. Photo by USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect The Irish defense imposed its will early in the game, holding Stanford to just 86 total yards of offense in the first half. Traore would punctuate his incredib

Notre Dame is one of the most simultaneously hated and respected programs in College Football. The Irish have seen increased vocal support in the modern era because of the program's strict adherence to tradition. In an era of NIL and conference realignment, Notre Dame has clung tightly to its independence from any conference and to the plethora of annual rivalry games on its slate. Photo Stan Szeto-Imagn Images Each rivalry tells a part of the story of who Notre Dame is toda

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 5-0 and face a big-time matchup next week against BYU in Provo, which many consider the season's first true test. Photo by Stan Szeto-Imagn Images Before we get there, the Irish have some business to take care of with cross-country rival, the Stanford Cardinal. Although the rivalry doesn’t have the competitive juice it once did, this game is still a rivalry. It is enhanced by being the annual “Wear Green” game at the House that Rockne Built.