ISD Game Predictions: Stanford
It’s Friday again, and that means game prediction time once again. The Irish are trying to finish their regular season strong with a bit of revenge in mind as they travel to Palo Alto to take on Stanford. The Cardinal can end their season on a high note with another win over Notre Dame. Which team comes out on top?
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Mike Frank
Because of how the game unfolded last year, I think this Irish team will be focused and motivated to pound Stanford just as they did USC earlier in the season. Notre Dame doesn’t have the offensive firepower of Oregon, but they’re good enough to put up some points on this Cardinal defense. I expect Notre Dame to be effective both throwing the ball and running in this game.
I don’t see Stanford’s offense scoring much on Notre Dame’s defense. They just don’t have the offensive line to protect their QB long enough to score enough points to win.
The Irish get their revenge on the Cardinal!
Notre Dame 42, Stanford 13
Andrew Mentock
Once again, Notre Dame is highly favored over a down-right-awful Stanford team. Unlike last year, I expected the Irish to pick up the win and do so in a comfortable fashion.
I expect quarterback Sam Hartman to have another big day. The Cardinal gives up 312.4 yards per game through the air, which is only better than one FBS team: South Florida.
Plus, it’ll be impossible for Notre Dame to overlook Stanford after suffering the most disappointing loss of the Marcus Freeman era against them a season ago.
Notre Dame 41, Stanford 13
Jamie Uyeyama
I think under different circumstances, this would be a game that Notre Dame would sleepwalk through to an uninspiring win in a mostly empty stadium. The Irish losing to Stanford last season means that won't happen and Notre Dame's defense won't let that happen.
Stanford is playing two true freshmen on their offensive line and they can't run the football consistently. No teams have success throwing against this Irish defense, so I just do see any way they will be able to put up points outside of some trick plays and Elic Ayomanor going beast mode for a play or two.
This Stanford defense is dead last in havoc rate and their talent level is closer to Central Michigan than any of the other Power 5 programs Notre Dame has faced this season. They've allowed 40 or more to six of the nine Pac-12 teams they've played and I think the Irish will do the same.
Audric Estime goes for a big number and he'll show the Doak Walker voters how truly stupid it was for them to leave him off their ballots.
Notre Dame 42, Stanford 9
Greg Flammang
The temptation going into the Notre Dame’s final regular season game of 2023 is to take note of the Irish going on the road and fading them. Marcus Freeman’s team hasn’t looked good on the road since early September and there is a “Lucy is holding the football” feel to picking Notre Dame to roll on the road this time around. But, there is one common thing about all of the Irish road games prior that isn’t present in this matchup.
The F+ defensive rating of all Notre Dame’s road opponents:
-NC State: 17th
-Duke: 24th
-Louisville: 19th
-Clemson: 7th
-Stanford: 112th
As they say, one of those things is not like the others. Notre Dame has feasted on bad defenses all season, and this is a bad defense. They may start slow as they sometimes do, but they’ll eventually find their footing. And yes, the Stanford offense has been spry lately, but they haven’t played a defense anywhere near this caliber recently, and the times they did this year, against Oregon and UCLA, they lost 42-6 and 42-7 respectively. It’ll be a similar result this time.
Notre Dame 44, Stanford 10
Christian McCollum
The finish to the regular season isn't the meaningful one Irish fans hoped to see - in fact many Irish fans don't see it at all thanks to it being broadcast on Pac-12 Network.
Still, it's a clean finish as Notre Dame wraps up a 9-3 regular season in dominant fashion over an inferior opponent.
Sam Hartman, Audric Estime and the rest of the Irish offense simply outmatch the Cardinal on offense while Notre Dame's front seven stifles the run and applies pressure all game before the Irish's backend come up with multiple turnovers in the second half.
Notre Dame heads home to await news of its bowl destination.
Notre Dame 35, Stanford 14
Matt Freeman
Notre Dame doesn't forget and Stanford is awful. The Irish start fast and end fast as Audric Estime and the offensive line send a message with him topping 200 yards on the night.
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Notre Dame 44, Stanford 10
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